The Upkeep of Us
by Historia70
Summary: "I caught a glimpse of you being the one attacked. I knew the cops wouldn't reach you in time. I had to do something. I had to do it or else something more would of happened." In this, different story lines will intersect with each character with, Arnold and Helga mostly leading the way. Some Mystery also
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: In the beginning of the story they start off at the age of 16. Arnold is a Sophomore and Helga and Phoebe are Seniors in High School. They both skipped grades so hence they are Seniors.**

 **TJM did happen, but I won't get fully into it except for a mentioning of it here and there throughout the story. You'll see what that means on the whole Helga and Arnold landscape when it comes to their terms of their current relationship right now.**

 **The story involves several of the characters in various situations. Some bit and some small. All do have the same thing of, victimization in some form or another. There are a few characters I decided to leave up to your imaginations on what happened to them until much later on.**

 **Thank you and kindly review. Now don't flame me or I might let my dragon eat you since he hasn't eaten in a while.**

 **I do not own Hey Arnold**

* * *

He looked at her as they were loading him up onto the ambulance. The way she stood there with no emotion on her face before turning away to walk down the street, he couldn't believe that Helga saved him. He could feel one of his eyes just throbbing away from when he was beaten up. He remembered each punch. Each kick. Each hit from a board. It felt like he never trained for karate a day in his life with how quick his assailants were. If it wasn't for her, he'd most likely be dead.

She stayed by his side as she called the cops. She even called his parents at home. Helga the enigma has proven herself to have another notch added to her mystery. He remembered studying her form as she was on the phone. Watched at how the breeze played with her silky tendrils. He shamefully glanced down the barest of cleavage from her shirt in its own modesty. All he could see was a black valley that he couldn't believe he wanted to see more of. She was always in perfect shape.

After being brought to the hospital, he was questioned again before his parents went over him again as if he wasn't even examined. He was wheeled into a private room where the drugs in his system quickly came into his body. Reaching over to remove some hair from his forehead, Miles kissed it.

"Try to get some rest, Son. You've been through a lot." He whispered.

Eyes shutting, Arnold fell into the swirling darkness that he assumed was due to medication. As he slept, Arnold saw her face before she turned away. In his dream he reached out to her, only to meet up with darkness once more.

* * *

When he finally got home after a few days of being in the hospital, Arnold refused to sleep downstairs. He wanted to be in his own room knowing that it would be difficult with a broken leg, and bruised up right knee. He almost wondered if he could play sports anymore, but thought it was better that he was still living and breathing.

His first and only main visitor was Gerald. He came in with a goodie bag that, Gerald's mom provided for him. Inside were some treats, but also other things like video games. Thanking his friend, Arnold adjusted himself only to hiss out in pain.

Mouth in a thin line, Gerald stepped closer to help his friend out. "So Helga actually helped you against three thugs. That is pretty ballsy."

"Yeah." Looking at his friend hopefully, Arnold needed to ask. "Have you seen her at all in school?"

"Naw. Ever since you refused to talk to her anymore, and Phoebe even becoming sore at you for what you did, they stopped hanging out with us." Gerald grabbed the office chair to bring over to put on the side of the bed. "Ever since they skipped grades for both being extra smart, we are lucky if we get a tiny glimpse of them in the hallway."

Yeah. Helga and Phoebe are Seniors while they are Sophomores. Taking a huge breath in, Arnold felt the pain to his already broken ribs. "Ugh."

"Take it easy, Buddy." Gerald couldn't believe the amount of bruises on him. "So do you have a clear idea who did this?"

"No. I just remember walking from the bus stop, and I was blind sided. I don't understand how, Helga managed to take on three guys by herself, but this is Helga after all. She did all that amazing stuff as, Deep Voice."

"Yeah." Gerald glanced up towards the skylight. "I still don't understand why you did what you did. That girl did so much for you as you told me, but why?"

He wanted to adjust himself so badly, but Arnold stuck himself in his position. "I just couldn't take it no more. That's why." His eyes went to his best friend. "Look I get that you both were getting along, but why can't you see my side to it?"

Gerald couldn't believe his friend as he looked at him calmly. It was something he didn't want to have another fight over. So very calmly, Gerald opened his mouth to speak.

* * *

"If it was me I would of pounded them!" Harold exclaimed. Pounding his fist into his palm for emphasis, he continued his rant. "And than I would of. Well I would kicked them for good measure."

Flipping her hair back, Rhonda rested the majority of her slim weight onto one leg. "As if. You would of been calling for your mommy, Harold."

Laughing, the group tried hard to keep it light hearted for, Arnold's sake. Leaning against his locker, Arnold couldn't take the pain he was already experiencing. He wanted to ask the group if they saw Helga around, but it seemed to be an unspoken rule not to bring it up. Though it never stopped Sid from spotting a girl out of the corner of his eyes.

"Boy howdy! She filled out nice." His attention was gripped to someone down the hallway.

It was obviously another random female. Arnold lost interest in even wondering who it could be. Though the itching he was experiencing in his cast was driving him insane. "I'm sick of this itching." He muttered out.

"Oh Arnold. You are ever so brave that I have a sure fire trick to help you out there." Lila told him as she went to her locker to open it up. Bringing out a rod, Lila came happily back up to him.

"Oh thanks, Lila. I can get that." Bringing his hand out to accept it, Arnold was shocked to find her on her knees sliding it inside his cast. "Lila I'm serious. I can get that."

"Oh don't be silly, Arnold." Batting her eye lashes at him, Lila winked at him. "Anything for you."

Hearing her release a girlish flirty giggle, Arnold brought his head back in embarrassment. He found that while his interest in her disappeared a long time ago for her, Lila's interest in him grew. Each day would become more flirtatious. Each day she would force his hand on her leg during lunch only for him to snatch it back, and move further away from her.

Studying the red head shamelessly go on with what she was doing, Rhonda scoffed. "I swear! Some girls just have no class. Come on Nadine. Let us clean our eyes of this." Looking back to her friend, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It is nice to see you back."

"Thanks, Rhonda." Arnold said as he looked back down. "Lila, the itch is gone."

Removing the rod, Lila got up quickly to kiss his chin. "I'm so happy for you. If you need anything else at all. Call me." Blowing a kiss to him, Lila went to her locker to deposit her rod away before departing.

"Man, Arnold! That girl is so into you that you wouldn't think it was a trick." Stinky told him as his eyes found the object to, Sid's hormones. "Still we know it is a trick."

"Yeah I know, but with the amount of times I told her no, she still keeps it up."

"She's coming." Sid announced. "Oh man she looks so hot today."

Turning their heads in the direction that Sid was drooling at, Arnold saw that it was Helga walking side by side with Phoebe, followed by a very reformed Ludwig following them. As Arnold tried to gain Helga's attention, Gerald tried to gain Phoebe's just to have them both ignored. Arnold had to admit that Helga looked spectacular. She was wearing a black skirt with a pink sleeveless top.

After they passed by, Sid sighed. "I can't believe I drooled after our own ex tormentor." Taking a second glance at her, Sid added. "She still torments me in a different way now." Happy, his smile disappeared the moment he looked at Arnold's sour expression. "Oh sorry man. I thought that since you both haven't."

"Forget about it." Bit out Arnold before bringing his crutches out to get out of there in a hurry. By his side was, Gerald helping him to his first class.

"Look I can tell you still love the girl. Just tell her." He advised.

Studying his desk, Arnold felt tortured at the thought of sitting there. "I will. I just need her attention, but normally it is difficult to even catch sight of her."

Seeing his friend's predicament with the desk, Gerald shook his head to point at the much larger desk in the back. The one that was normally reserved for T.A's. Knowing there was none in there, Gerald brought his stuff in the back. "I know they became seriously stuck to their studies since that time. They are determined to get out of school early."

Settling down at the desk, Arnold spotted his Algebra teacher stepping in and coming straight for them. "Yeah so I have to talk to her before she graduates."

Mr Balderino made a sour expression at the crutches and the bruises on his face. "I'm surprised you are here so soon after the attack. How are you?"

"Uncomfortable." Arnold answered as he looked up to Gerald. "I have a note and all about leaving early and stuff. Also he'll be helping me out."

Taking the note, the man placed a hand on the desk in front of him. "You are both good students so in case you aren't feeling too well, just let me know. I want you comfortable."

"Thank you, Mr Balderino." They both uttered out.

Waiting for him to leave them alone, Gerald whispered out. "Sucks to have a last name like that with a full head of handsome hair like he has."

Nodding his head was even a mistake. It was true. Their teacher was still so young and with a full head of hair. Most girls had a crush on him. Arnold liked him as a teacher due to him actually being entertaining as he taught. It seemed to allow many below average students shoot up in their grade level when it came to teacher any type of math.

"Yeah I agree."

"Well buddy I should be off to my own class. I will see you five minutes before we have to leave." Gerald waved good bye to him as he took off from his own class.

Sitting at the desk, Arnold wondered how things were going at Helga's home nowadays. Did they still forget about her?

* * *

It was their scheduled lunch time where, Ludwig was now use to both the girls busy between eating, and doing their class work. Sitting closest to Helga, Ludwig needed to bury his nose back into his bible the very moment he was tempted. The way she smelled. They way she brushed her hair behind her ear, or the way it fell towards her face. His eyes traced down to those full lips of hers, and that is when he picked up his bible to read it with a newfound passion.

Feeling Phoebe's tiny hand on her, Helga hummed a response informing her she was listening while she wrote down her answer to the problem from the online course quiz from college. "What's up?"

"There is a little one day gathering where they will speak about the latest scientific discoveries. Also there is a Professor that will be attending that I know you would like to meet." Phoebe hoped she would say yes to this. Ever since Helga got heavily into her school work, Phoebe loved everything even more with her. How they connected even more. "Would you like me to sign us up?"

"Yeah, Pheebs. Sign us up." Dancing in her seat, Helga went back to her work as she shoved a fry in her mouth.

Clearing his throat at the sight of seeing, Helga's dancing tush, Ludwig excused himself quickly.

Phoebe was confused at the sudden change in his demeanor. "What's wrong with him?"

Propping her chin to rest in the palm of her hand, Helga casually responded. "He has a boner so I'm certain he headed to the bathroom to find a passage to lessen it away."

Half snickering and half admonishing her best friend, Phoebe looked around for their friend's solace. "You don't know that. How could you say that?"

"The raised flag pole that ran past us."

Red with embarrassment, Phoebe tried to calm herself. "Oh I feel bad for him. Still." She thought about it long and hard. "How big was the pole?"

Her eyes went lazily over to Phoebe. "Why do you want to know? I mean I know you have a crush on the guy, but seriously?"

"He likes you anyhow. I'm just a sister type to him." Pouting, Phoebe wished she never brought anything up.

Helga knew the guy liked her, but she couldn't see her spending time doing bible studies with him. It was bad enough that there were times he got on her slightly for her language. "Just grab him and kiss him. Maybe that will change his mind."

"I think I would have a better job convincing you to like me instead of him." Phoebe argued softly.

Waggling her finger in front of her, Helga shook her head. "Now don't be kissing me. You know I'm fully straight."

"Even though you haven't been with anyone since." Feeling her sentence cut off by a hand on her mouth, Phoebe squeaked at how deadly a glare Helga had.

"Don't. Say. His. Name." Releasing her hand, Helga thought she knew to never bring up Arnold again. "I'm going to finish this in the library. I'll catch you later."

"Oh Helga, I'm sorry. Please don't go." Feeling bad for bringing that sore subject up, Phoebe rejected her food.

* * *

Bringing back the late books he forgot about, Sid spotted Helga in the library. A full wolfish grin was spotted on his face even as the Librarian believed he was a 'Simple' boy due to all his simple responses to each of her questions. As Sid paid off his debt, he wandered off towards Helga as she sat alone at her table.

Placing one hand on the chair, Sid leaned against it while smoothly addressing her. "Hello, Helga. Fancy meeting you here."

"Hmm." Not even lifting her head up, Helga continued doing her work till she heard a loud slam on the floor. Getting up, she stood up to look over the table at a demented looking Sid pointing his fingers at her.

"Hey." He told her cooly.

Shaking her head at how stupid he was being, Helga sat back down. "Seriously." She muttered out.

As he was on the floor, Sid stared up at those long stems of hers. The hidden area between those legs. "Say Helga."

Hearing all sorts of noise coming from him, Helga spotted how the Librarian was even becoming vastly annoyed. Sighing, she stood up once more to look down at the idiot unable to get up. "Get up or she'll ban me from here because of your stinking ass." She harshly whispered.

Doing so, Sid sat on the seat opposite of her. "You look good."

Lifting her eyebrow up, Helga frowned at him. "Yeah. Thanks." Rolling her eyes she felt her phone vibrating. "Get back to class so I can do my work. Unlike you, I'm serious about my future."

"And what is your future, Beautiful?"

She had herself a regular Rico Stupido in front of her right now. "To get as far away from you."

"And what about, Arnold?"

Standing up, Helga growled. "Leave me be, Sid." Turning away from him, Helga retreated to the farthest edge of the library to pull up her voicemail. After listening she smiled knowing she could fulfill that request for a friend. Turning to grab a book, she left to happily see that Sid left, but he decided to leave his phone number behind in its place. "As if." She muttered.

* * *

Wandering up to the parking lot after school, Arnold and Gerald were among the first up there due to his early pass out. As they did they heard someone cursing about touching the wrong car. Sighing as he hauled himself up the slight ridge to find one of their fellow students pushing away another from a beast of a car. A car that even had Arnold curious about, but not enough to look inside.

"Mmm mmm mmm. Verbal rule is not to touch that car." Gerald remarked as the two other males in the lot ran off yelling not to tell on them.

Making a face, Arnold saw it was a later model vehicle. A Charger fast back, but he didn't know what year it was. "Is that Wolfgang's?"

"Nah and of course you wouldn't know seeing you are so respectful of other peoples belongings." Gerald answered as they neared his own car. "That is Helga's car. A '67 Dodge Charger. That car has the engine of a beast and it seems fitting for her." Pointing at it as he opened the doors up, Gerald said. "It looks tame. It almost looks like a family vehicle until you hear that engine start up. An engine that I have to admit is something I'm jealous of."

"Her parents let her have that. Doesn't seem safe." Arnold said as he carefully got into the car.

Getting in himself, Gerald shook his head. "Seriously? Look! I don't look at Helga in that way. This I promise you. I will admit that seeing a girl in a muscle car is actually pretty exciting. It is something that I have to look away blushing."

Ignoring the fact that his own friend got hot under the collar over Helga, Arnold suddenly had an idea form in his head. A girl that wants to ignore him for the most part. That car will prove helpful to him.

* * *

Sitting across from her longtime friend who was between normal and insane, Helga almost snickered at how Curly wanted to tear off his regulated outfit. Something she could understand seeing how horrible it was. Though the way he was fussing around with his hands had her halting him.

"Curly." With a low voice she shook her head as her eyes flittered across to where the nurses were. "Do you want to be in the rubber room again."

Angrily his eyes lifted towards them before glancing to her again. "No. I mean sure it is fun sometimes to bounce around in there, but last time there were mice in there, and the bastards didn't believe me."

Her eyebrow flickered up just for the barest of seconds. "Come on so we can stay caught up with school. I don't want you too far behind when you finally return."

Sighing, Curly felt depressed all of a sudden. "How is she?"

"Rhonda? You know I don't talk to her."

"Yeah, but you see her."

Ever since that incident that caused Curly's meltdown, Helga knew he wouldn't be able to be in the same school as her. "I do." She hesitated. "She is seeing someone on the Football team."

He instantly deflated. "I never had a chance with her, didn't I?" His hand went through his hair. "Just like you never had a chance with."

"Shut it." She hissed out before standing up.

Seeing his error, Curly stood up to take her hand. "I'm really sorry, Helga. Please sit back down. Besides you and Phoebe. Well also my parents. No one wants to visit me."

Seeing how sad he appeared, Helga reached over to cup his hand in hers. "You are a passionate guy like I've always been a passionate girl. You always say the first thing off the top of your head."

"Yeah you use to be passionate. Sure there is schoolwork, but since that moment it was like something stopped in you. I like my fellow passionate friend." He grinned. "Passionate. Not insane like me."

Helga shrugged. "I just don't want to think about it. When I do it is like no time has passed between us. It is like it just happened." Their work was forgotten. "I just wish I can stop loving him."

"Well maybe you shouldn't of saved his ass that night." He said playfully nudging her.

"You know I couldn't of done that. I couldn't walk the other way. Still." Her eyes left the side of the room where someone was busy playing with themselves. "Sick."

Spotting that person being hauled away, Curly decided to keep talking. "Still?"

"I'm certain he forgot all about me in that way. I'm certain he was happy when I called it quits between us."

He doubted that himself as he watched his friend pick up her pencil to begin working again. "I guess let us get back to work."

"Mmmhmm." She hummed out as she started to ask questions again.

* * *

 _Flashes of the assault happened as he slept. The way they didn't let up. They way they laughed. He thought he could hear something being said, but chose to turn a deaf ear to it. It felt more disturbing that the assault itself._

 _He could smell his blood mixed in with the smell of the alley itself. He tried so hard to fight them off and yet they were overpowering him. Of course he felt how spongey his arms and legs were. His eyes focused up on the night sky. The source of all his zen and now it will be the last thing he'll ever see._

 _Seeing a flash of someone on the fire escape above, Arnold believed it was another one of them waiting to get in on attacking him. He tasted his blood before he heard a strong couple of yelps accompanied by a well meaning zapping sound. His eyes shut as he heard someone beating up another, and before too long, there was an Angel above him._

 _"Arnold?"_

 _That scent of hers. That aura she exuded. It had been a long time since he heard her voice, and he wondered if he said a word to her till he began to cough._

 _"Crap." She muttered out loud. Looking at her phone she cursed at the signal as her head turned possibly to his attackers. "Fucking 911." She griped before someone was heard on the other side of the call. "Yeah hey. A teenager who is sixteen years old was just attacked by three assholes. They are out now, but who knows for long."_

 _Arnold tried to get up but he cried out in pain only to have her keep him down._

 _"Yeah well I'm in the alley on Buxton street. We are between this corny deli and some horrible pet shop." She sighed as more questions were being hurled at him. "I just know his name is Arnold Shortman. We just go to the same school together. That is how we know one another."_

 _It seemed to sting him more than being attacked. Arnold's eyes were stinging as he tried so hard to remain focused on her. If he was about to die than let her be the last thing he lays his eyes on. "So beautiful."_

 _Helga sighed. "Get him an ambulance right now. The boy is acting delirious now."_

Arnold's eyes opened up as they focused through the glass of his skylight. She didn't believe him that night. It hurt that she didn't, but he only had himself to blame.

XX

In her own bedroom, Helga woke with a start from the same flashback, but from a different angle. Regardless of them not speaking anymore, Helga still cared about him still. To watch him be beaten up in that state angered her. It infuriated her in such a way that she felt possessed. So possessed that it didn't take much effort for her to knock three very large brutes out.

Getting up, Helga walked to the bathroom to splash some water onto her sweat soaked skin. Water falling from her face, her eyes focused to the basin, Helga needed to calm herself. She couldn't let this control her.

She just hoped it didn't destroy him.

* * *

 **A/N 2: Helga's car is the same car that I had when I was in High School I had a 1967 Dodge Charger that remained a dark gray primer colar until it was painted white before my folks sold it. I absolutely loved that car, but the upkeep was unfortunately too much for me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks very much for the reviews. My dragon didn't need to eat anyone except the intruder on the front lawn. He isn't a Pokemon people. He is more of a Game of Thrones type of dragon.**

* * *

Lila shoved a berry into his mouth before wrapping her arms around him. "Seriously, Lila. Stop it." Arnold gritted out as he tried to push her off. She was crushing him. He was having a hard time breathing even as he witnessed, Gerald and Rhonda trying to get her off him.

His remaining friends stood around watching the desperate girl trying to latch onto the boy who use to want her so badly a long time ago. It seemed to be something she was dying for out of anyone. Stinky continued to shake his head at the pathetic display. Sheena and Nadine spoke to her about her behavior. Eugene tried to maintain a positive attitude. Harold was just getting hungry, and Sid spotted Helga coming closer.

"I don't like you anymore, Lila. Now leave me alone!" Arnold shouted.

Shocked, Lila lessened her hold just to give, Rhonda a good way to tear her apart from him. Lila's eyes started to water up. Her lips started to tremble. "But you want me. I know you do. She is no longer a problem anymore. We can be together."

Knowing who she meant, Arnold adjusted his crutches to push away to get closer to her. "I want you away from me. You don't know what boundaries are. You used me when we were younger just to get your way. I mean I had no idea if it was sick payback or what, but at least I didn't feel like I'm a yo-yo."

"Oh but Arnold. I want to be with you." Wailing now, Lila was attracting so much attention from everyone else. "We are oh so perfect together. Just ever so perfect."

"Man that is ever so pathetic." Remarked Helga on her way past casually as she was flanked by, Phoebe and Ludwig.

Surprised by Helga's voice, Lila placed her fingertip to her lips. "Just give me a chance."

"No."

Glancing at the time on his watch, Gerald signaled to Arnold that it was time to take off to class. Nodding his affirmation to him, Arnold paused when he was side by side with her. "They were right about you." In truth it was really, Helga that said it to him, but he didn't want to single her out.

Lila turned to the girls. "Rhonda? Nadine? Sheena? You believe me, right?"

"Not after everything you did to play with his head, and so many others." Nadine decided to answer for the group.

"Yes, so I suggest you seek a good deal of therapy." Rhonda suggested as she latched onto her friend's arm to leave Lila behind.

Getting into class, Arnold slowly made his way to the back where he went extra slow down on the chair. "I wish I can just lay my head on this desk and sleep."

Gerald placed his stuff down. "You could or you could think to yourself that, Helga finally said something. Not to you per-say, but it was close enough."

His smile was so tired from his lack of sleep for the past few nights. "True, but I need to step up my game with her."

His friend was cringing from each adjustment he was making. "Maybe think about yourself just a little bit longer, and than go to her."

It wasn't easy when all he wanted to do was get close to her again.

* * *

Arnold threw up as he heard the information being told to him. He identified the men that attacked him and just to have the witness verify them as well, Arnold's heart leapt up to know that, Helga was in the building, but it stopped once he heard what more those men wanted do to him when they had him.

He left the room wishing for fresh air. He mostly hobbled out of there aware of his father calling his attention, but he was surprisingly fast in his crutches. When he went outside, Arnold collapsed to the ground uncomfortably, and threw up.

"Oh Arnold." His mother was rushing towards him in concern.

Eyes watery, Arnold managed to spot Helga looking towards him with concern before she slipped into her vehicle to take off. Did she know what they were planning to do with him? Oh he hoped not, but he knew how smart she was to catch on to most things.

"Please take me home." He begged.

"Maybe we should get this X-rayed since you just fell on it." Stella suggested.

"No! I just want to go home."

Miles understood how uncomfortable it was for Arnold to hear all of that inside. He was almost in the same boat as him even if he wasn't the one attacked. "We'll take you home."

Knowing she had to agree to this, Stella helped Arnold towards their vehicle so he can go.

XX

Gerald sucked in air between his teeth. "Man. That is some deeply disturbing stuff."

"Yeah." Feeling a spasm hit his body, Arnold calmed his body down enough to not get hurt so much. "So I'm not the only guy that they did that with."

"Well you are the only guy with a Helga who attacks." A sideways smirk appeared on his face. "Tell you what, I'm happy she showed up."

"I'm happy she didn't get hurt herself." Arnold told him as he cringed in pain. "Ugh! Fucking spasms."

Getting up, Gerald knew it had to be bad if his friend cursed. "What do you need, Buddy?"

He didn't honestly want to rely on pills, but right now his body was crying out for them. "Give me the Gabapentin. That helps my spasms."

Doing as he instructed, Gerald did a quick scan of the label to see it was still safe. "Did you already take one?"

"Nah. I usually just take them at night. I don't want to be asleep in class." Extending his hand out to take the pill, Arnold placed it in his mouth while chasing it with some water. "Thanks."

"Sure thing." Gerald knew that even they messed up, Arnold's back a little from all the beatings he endured. Sitting back down, he wished he was with him that night. "Is this why she has been extra friendly to you since you've come back?"

Arnold squinted his eye to his friend. "Not really. She has been getting extra friendly for some time now. There are instances where she invites herself over for dinner. I'll come down and there she is. First my grandparents had no clue what to do about it so they let it slide. My parents just act friendly, just to be friendly. At least Ernie scared her enough for her not to show her face around."

"What exactly did he do?" Gerald inquired hoping they could enlist this when trying to get her away from the group.

"He surprised her with a sledge hammer to her food. She screamed and ran out of the house." Chuckling at the memory of her doing that, Arnold added, "Ernie did that on purpose because he knew she was annoying me."

"Ha! Good man to have around." Gerald told him as he started chuckling himself at that image in his head.

XX

Helga examined a very listless looking Curly in front of her. Did he have another breakdown again? Reaching over to take his hand to lift it, his eyes met with hers. "What's up?"

He shook his tired eyes at her. "So much yelling and screaming last night. Someone was running down the hallways banging at each of our doors. It was way worse than me yelling and screaming." Pulling down the collar of his shirt, he showed her finger marks. "They managed to get inside my room to yell in my ear claiming I was hiding the General. They started to strangle me."

Getting up, Helga walked over to his side to place her arm around him. "Is that when they stopped it?"

"Yeah." Resting his head against her, Curly sighed. "I can't wait to get out of here."

"Same here." Her eyes went up to the Orderlies studying them both. This place was horrible. "I'll be attending a lecture tomorrow so I won't be able to visit you."

Understanding, Curly looked at her face. "Wanna keep up with the studies now?"

"Yeah." Reaching over to get her stuff, Helga didn't want to leave his side.

Kissing her cheek, Curly started to answer the questions. "Tell Phoebe I want to see her."

"I will. She misses you and is doing her best to clear her studies to get here." She said honestly.

His only two friends in the world. At one time he believed that Arnold would visit him given his good natured personality, but it was surprising when it didn't happen. It still surprised him more in how Arnold turned, Helga away.

* * *

Her car was a beacon to him. So after school, Arnold paused by her car to slip a note between her window and wipers. Turning to see the almost worried expression of Gerald before it cooled down to his far more normal one, Arnold could only appear innocent.

"You are one bold kid." Gerald stated as he opened his car doors to let them both in.

Slipping inside, Arnold groaned and cringed at how much his bones cracked. "It's time that we talk. I'm sick of the avoiding. I need to talk to her. I miss her."

"Is this before or after the incident?"

"Before. It has been dogging me in how unfair I was to her." Arnold had been feeling guilty ever since that day.

For Gerald, he thought it would be good to bury the hatchet. Perhaps with Helga back, Phoebe will soon follow, and he'll have a chance once more to start something with her.

XX

"The thing is, Ludwig is that I really like you." Phoebe finally had the heart to confess to him.

Looking down at the petite girl, Ludwig felt guilt overwhelm him as he stood there. "Thank you." Was that the best response to tell her? "I really am flattered."

Phoebe deflated instantly knowing exactly what will follow. "But you don't like me. You see me as a sister and you like, Helga." She droned out. "I had to try."

"Yes I do like her, but I know she doesn't feel the same way. If she had any interest in me, she would go to bible study with me, and other things. I mean I asked her to go with me as a date and not a friend thing." Ludwig felt really bad. "I'm really sorry. I wish I felt the same for you. You are great."

Shrugging, Phoebe knew it wasn't meant to happen. "Yeah. Great." Turning her back to him, she knew it was rude, but she needed to save face. "I have to go. See you tomorrow, Ludwig."

"See you."

Walking up towards the students parking lot, Phoebe didn't see the irritated position, Helga was in as she stared at something in her hand. As it was, she felt a certain jealousy to Helga as she went to passenger side to get in the massive car. Hearing her get in, Helga placed a note in the center to turn to face her.

"He doesn't like me. He likes you." Phoebe groused. "He likes you because you are beautiful and fun and smart. I'm just someone everyone sees as a sister."

Raising her eyebrow up, Helga forgot about the note to concentrate on her friend. "I'm certain he didn't say all that to you."

"No, but it is the same thing with each guy I like. They all want you and just want me as their sister." Phoebe threw her hands up in the air. "Am I that hideous?"

"Fuck no! You know if you were a guy I'd be all over you, and I'm not JUST saying this." Helga shook her head as she remembered one guy who seemed crazy about her. "They are just idiots. You have this beautiful hair that rivals even, Rhonda's. Your skin has no need for make-up at all. I mean, COME ON!" Her friend is very attractive. "Please believe me that you are very attractive."

Wiping a tear from her eye, Phoebe gave her a ghost of a smile. "Great. Wanna make out?" She wondered sarcastically.

"Nah. We are both into guys and neither of us have cocks between our legs." Helga knew that it was just a joke. Picking up the note again, she pocketed it away. "You know that Curly thinks that you are even pretty."

"He is just being nice." Phoebe wanted to question Helga about what she was hiding, but knew better to let her say it first. She knew never to force Helga into speaking, EVER.

"No. Curly doesn't say this stuff lightly and you know it." Starting her car up, Helga revved it up when a couple of Sophomores got a little too close for comfort. Smirking at how they jumped, she placed the car into gear. "Come on because the squirrel needs to say hello to his nuts."

Lifting her eyebrows up, Phoebe thought about that. "Shouldn't it be the other way around? I'm not comfortable about being his nut."

"Neither am I, but I got you to think about something other than someone stupid."

* * *

Arnold sighed with relief as he finally made it into his bedroom. It was a much longer trek going upstairs with crutches and two legs unable to bend. Leaning against his closed door, he couldn't help but breath in and out really hard as he whined inwardly at the prospect of heading over to his bed. Yes, it felt good to lay down, but it didn't feel great having to get back up. So instead he went to his couch to sit down and think.

It was apparent that she wasn't coming over. He caused this hate in her, and he only had himself to blame. Moaning out his discontent he was unaware of someone else in the room until the scent of vanilla hit his nose. Was this really her or just the memory of her?

Helga stood enough away to examine him before putting his desk light on. Her eyes remained impassive before she took a step forward. "I can see you've had quite the work out." Her voice was dry. "I couldn't come sooner. I was visiting Curly and than I was with Phoebe."

He blinked at how faraway she sounded. "It hurt I've caused this. I miss the emotion in your voice."

She looked at the brace on his leg. His cast as well. Going to both his wrists, she clicked her tongue. "Why are you on crutches when both your wrists are in braces? Are they insane?"

He felt surprised as she got on her knees in front of him to take his right hand to release his brace. He couldn't breath at her proximity. At how tender she was as she examined him until he cringed in pain.

"I thought so. This is stressed." Her eyes went up to his face. "Have you told your mom?"

"No. They've been worried enough." He was partially ashamed about that. He knew it wasn't his fault about that night, but he still felt bad.

"We'll talk, but first have you taken a bath or a shower?" Her voice was so calm.

"Sponge bath. I can't wet the cast."

Nodding her head, Helga stood up. "I'll be right back."

Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but she was already gone. Helga already obviously made up her mind.

XX

So there he was in a bathtub with a beautiful girl bathing and massaging him carefully. He felt a little bad about her doing this, but she was insisted. Told him that this wasn't her first rodeo. Jealous about what guy had this attention, Helga's eyes met with his.

"Olga got into a bad car accident. Not her fault. She was trying to save one of the kids she was teaching. She broke her leg and her ribs were all messed up. Miriam tried to help her, but she gets a little klutzy. My dad has a vice grip so that is a no go. So I volunteered to help her. She did have a stress fracture on her left wrist, and the other one was sprained. I helped her out after the Physical Therapist instructed me on the do's and don'ts on what to do." Her eyes went back down to his wrist where her hands gently massaged there. "Also I learned the fine art of never looking at someone else's goodies."

Enjoying the feeling of what she was doing, Arnold sighed in relief. "That feels good."

"I'll add something later so you can sleep after." She told him as she reached over to get his other hand. "Just think about soothing things, and don't go back to anything negative. It helps to relax your body."

Closing his eyes, Arnold did feel like talking to her though. "I still want to talk."

"We will." Her hands guided up his arm. "It is about time to."

She sounded so mature. So much more sexier than before. "How did you manage to get into the sixth grade so quickly? I think that is amazing."

Considering he was asking it sounding like he was smoking a doobie, Helga remained focused. "Online classes, summer courses, college courses. I've been doing this overtime for a while now. I'm not at all drawn thin. To tell you the truth, I'm happy doing it. I just want to soak in more into my system."

"Sounds great. I want to do the same thing. Do you think it is too late for me?" Arnold wondered as he opened up his eyes. "I want to be around my friends."

"You know you still can." Reminded Helga.

"True, but there are these times when it was just me and my grandparents that I thought to do it."

Helga sat on the edge of the tub to gently rub up and down his sides to circulate some blood flow. "Arnold, while there are times you were dense, you are very smart academically. You could of been where I am right now. Even Gerald has a brain in his head to achieve the same thing." She smiled as she went up to massage his neck now. "You can still sign up for things online. Curly is taking online courses. I not only visit him and tutor him, but he is keeping up his studies so he won't fall behind."

Grinning, Arnold loved that. "That's great." Suddenly the smile disappeared. "I feel bad that I haven't visited him at all. I feel awful."

Frowning, Helga didn't want to question on why he didn't. "If you want, you could. Even Gerald if he wants too. Just to let you know there is usually a masturbator in the room. There are some actual nut jobs there. I'm serious. Last time I saw him alone without Phoebe, he told me he was attacked by another person. I felt so bad for him."

"Maybe I shouldn't feel so sorry about my circumstances." Arnold glanced down at his bruised up body.

Placing a hand under his chin, Helga smirked. "Let me help you out of here, dry you up, put some stuff on you, and get you back upstairs. We can talk after all of that is done." She suggested.

XX

Upstairs after she finished up with what she needed to do, Arnold was laying on his bed as she sat on the edge. Now it was time for a more serious conversation. Something that had his heart beating a lot more wildly now than before.

"I was a complete asshole to you." Arnold acknowledged himself as the one at fault. "I was frustrated with wanting you to tell me things right then and there that." He huffed at himself for not wording this correctly.

Helga spotted the frustration. "Phoebe learned this a long time ago. I talk on my own time when I'm ready to. You just expect everyone to spit it all out all at once, and they all do. With me, you couldn't take it." Her eyes went down to his cast. "You took it overboard by telling me you never wanted to see, hear, or speak to me again."

Arnold spotted her lip trembling. "Helga."

"I have always been fine with our back and forths, but when you told me that." She continued her focus downwards. "It destroyed me. I still studied and did what I did, but I would be crying all the time." She refused to let him speak just yet.

"That's why Phoebe stopped talking to us?"

She nodded her head as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. "You'll need to ask her the full reason herself. I won't speak on her behalf, but it is a reason. At least a partial one." Helga told him.

Placing his hand on her leg, Arnold felt a jolt that only she can provide. "I'm really sorry, Helga. I just wanted you to so badly to talk to me."

"I was your girlfriend, Arnold. Didn't you already get that I don't respond well to being forced? You've known me since we were three and you still just didn't get it."

Watching her stand up, Arnold wished he could get up to follow her. "I thought you didn't trust me."

"I trust you and Phoebe the most, but after that I couldn't." She shook her head. "That request you made was easy for me to comply to. It was hard to look at someone I always loved waking up in the morning to. The thought of seeing you always set me on fire in such a good way. You kept me alive in your own way, but when you made that request." Her head lifted up towards the skylight. "It simply killed me. I requested Phoebe and Curly to never speak your name to me to make it easy, but it wasn't."

She turned to face him. "I never went out with anyone else, just to let you know."

"I didn't go out with anyone else either." Arnold reached out to her. "Please come back over here, Helga."

She didn't. She stood where she was. "Why were you with that dip that night? I know what street she lives on. You act like you can't stand her, but why be with her?"

He sighed. "The whole stupid song and dance. She wailed in my face, Helga. Instead of getting a ride with Sid, she decided she wanted to walk with me."

"Pfft." She almost laughed at how irritated he sounded about Lila. "I know you are living with what happened to you. I know you are living with the pain." She stepped closer again. "When I heard sounds coming from the alley."

Seeing her cringe and spot the noticeable appearance of something glistening in her eyes, Arnold reached out to her once more. This time she took his hand.

"I caught a glimpse of you being the one attacked. I knew the cops wouldn't reach you in time. I had to do something. I had to do it or else something more would of happened." Sitting back down, Helga could still see the bruising on his face.

Bringing her hand close to him, Arnold kissed it. "Nothing did. I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I'm glad that they." He cut himself off. She obviously didn't know.

Helga knew. "I heard the cops. I was there a little before you to give my statement again and to identify them. I had to tell them everything that I saw."

"You did?" She nodded her answer. "How much did you see?"

She noticed how he trembled all of a sudden. "Not the very first part, but I did see the rest, Arnold." Her eyebrow went up for emphasis. Helga wanted to save face for him.

He needed something tangible. "Helga, I am not wanting to speak to you right now because of what you've done for me. I've been wanting to speak to you for some time because life is completely empty without you in it. I miss you. I miss everything about you. I want to hear the good and the bad from you. I will try not to force you to speak to me. I just want you back in my life because I love you as a friend and as something far more than that. I will do everything to have you forgive me."

Helga considered his words as she weighed them carefully before standing up. Stepping closer to the bed so he didn't have to strain so much, she pulled the waistband down of her shorts. "See this scar that is from my hip going towards my pubic area?"

Nodding his head, Arnold examined it wondering when she received that. It was pretty white compared to naturally pale skin, so he could imagine it in the full light. "When did this happen?"

"My mom's addiction to smoothies and some pain killers got out of hand one day. She didn't have pain medication, but after she injured herself in a smoothie related incident, she started taking them." She took a deep breath. "And she started getting addicted." Feeling his finger trace the scar, Helga fluttered her eyes up to study the sky.

Something connected in him. "Is this why you were gone those weeks from school? It wasn't a impromptu vacation." His eyes went up to her.

"No. I was in the hospital. My dad forced me to keep it hush." Her eyes met his. "I got upset at my mom one day. I got on her about her smoothies and her meds. Well we started fighting and in the middle of it, Miriam pushed me down the stairs."

He didn't do it to be sexual, although he was face to face with a beautiful girl in front of him, he did it to kiss the old pain away.

Feeling his lips meet up to where the scar was on her hip, Helga put her head back. Tears showed up once more, but it wasn't from what he was doing, it was from the memory. "I was cut by something on the stairs. That's why that scar. It hurt so badly and I bled so much that they rushed me away. I told Bob I didn't want to see her again. I told him that I'd rather live with Olga and never see him or her again for the rest of my life."

Bringing his lips away, Arnold looked up. "You stayed here though."

"Yes. I told him not only that I hated him for being the worst father ever, but I hated Miriam." Reaching up, she placed her hand in his hair. "He forced me not to speak of it and I didn't. When he left, he was gone for some time until he popped up again to bring me to this shrink's office. First I thought it was for me, but it was for him. I sat in while he was getting therapy. Something a Pataki doesn't do. Meanwhile, Miriam went into a treatment facility to get her crapped worked on."

Placing his lips back down to the scar, Arnold resumed his slow kisses. "Just because of something you said."

"Partially." She smirked. "Olga stepped in when she knew how I got hurt. She listened to me extensively and she told them to straighten up or else." Feeling him get closer to that one spot, Helga ran her hand through his hair one more time. "She threatened to pay attention to me or else we'll both disown them, and the business will get what the, Pataki's are really about."

Chuckling, Arnold had to ask. "What about now?"

Sitting down, Helga smiled at him. "My mom is a working woman now and loves bringing home more sober chips. My dad knows my name now, and is proud of what I've done for myself."

Grinning, Arnold congratulated her. "I'm so happy for you, Helga. You deserve it."

"Well they aren't perfect like your family, but they are better than what they use to be."

Figures she would do that. Arnold saw that her shorts were still sorta down. "Helga, I-"

Placing her lips on his, Helga was gentle with him as they kissed. Feeling his hand on her leg, she smiled before standing up. "I should get going."

"Are you free this weekend?" He asked desperately .

"I have a lecture to attend tomorrow with Pheebs, but Sunday I'm free. Why?"

He felt lame as he searched his room. "Will you like to go on a date with me in my bedroom? A movie. Dinner. Snacks. Whatever that will please you."

Getting back on the bed, Helga decided to carefully straddle him. "I haven't exactly forgiven you, Football Head, but did enjoy what you were doing down there." Moving to kiss him on the lips, she giggled when she felt a pinch on her butt cheek. "I will agree to that date though." Kissing him one more time, she got off him.

He observed her in a mostly hypnotized state as she placed the covers on him. "Do you want to have dinner with the boarders or alone?"

"Alone right now. I am putting you on parole for right now. I'll lessen up when I'm certain you won't revert back to wanting to kick me to the curb again." She moved to his ladder. "Good night and I'll see you sunday."

"Good night. Be careful getting home."

She guffawed at that as if it was the funniest joke ever. Arnold watched as she made her way through the hatch before she closed it up. To watch her disappear from sight had him saddened at not seeing her anymore tonight. Still he had her scent attached to him. A scent that always drove him crazy.

* * *

 **A/N 2: Gabapentin is the same thing I take to take down my spasms in my body. I'll let you use your imaginations on what they wished to do with Arnold. I really didn't want to get into that one. Also you all know that Lila has a screw lose somewheres in her. Also now you know that Arnold and Helga once had a relationship together before Arnold messed it up.**


	3. Chapter 3

Miles opened the door to find his patience drawing thin again. There was this girl again. A girl that was dressed like an angel, but was surely the devil in disguise even as she squeezed herself through him and the threshold to get inside. His parents taught him not to be overly rude, even if his dad would give in to it.

"Lila, what are you doing here?" Miles inquired after sucking in a patience breath in and out.

Those eyes appeared innocent. Her stance was ramrod straight as she held a tin in her hand. "Arnold invited me."

He doubted it. "Arnold isn't here at the moment so if he did, than he would of told you so." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell me why you are really here."

"Well he was ever so brave in walking me home that night. I mean it could of been me, but it was him instead." Lila held such a small smile to her lips. "I just wanted to thank him."

Anger needed to be replaced by calmness by this girl's inept attitude. "Him walking you home that night didn't have to do with him having feelings for you. He is just a kind person. As for him being attacked." He paused to gather himself. "Stop thinking of yourself. In fact, I wish you to stop coming around here when he doesn't want you around. You have only used my son for your own good."

Blinking her eyes in confusion, Lila handed him the tin. "Please see that he gets these. Also tell him I'll see him tomorrow. Bye."

Hearing her leave, Miles began to talk to himself. "Was I not talking? I'm sure I was. I mean I did feel my mouth moving."

* * *

After attending the lecture, Helga and Phoebe went to their saturday kickboxing class. The ALWAYS perfect excuse to release your inner stress on a punching bag. As they did this, Helga made a casual glance over to her best friend.

"I spoke to Arnold yesterday." She said it almost too casually actually. "He apologized for trying to push me. Apologized for so much."

Phoebe smiled just a little. "That's good. Was it because you saved him?"

"No. He said it has been awhile, and he wanted to say it to me earlier but I was doing a good job of ignoring him."

"Only you know how to do that." Phoebe teased.

"Yeah. Yeah I do." Kicking her bag, she then said, "I am seeing him tomorrow."

Pausing for just a second, Phoebe kicked the bag. "As in a date?"

"You could say." Pausing to take a more relaxed stance, Helga stared at her bag. "I told him what happened to me. How I got that scar."

Stopping, Phoebe bounded up to her to hug her. "I'm proud of you. How did it feel to do that?"

Placing her hand gently on her arm, Helga smiled at her friend's exuberance. "It felt good to say it finally. I wanted to say it to him eventually, but he had to tell me he never wanted to see or hear from me again. So that destroyed that."

"But now you finally got to tell him. So I guess no more tipping around with his name anymore." Phoebe pulled away. "I'm still so proud of you."

Facing her bag again, Helga licked her lips. "So will you tell me what really happened between you and Gerald?"

Smile gone. Phoebe went back to her bag to begin beating on it worse than before. "Nothing. Nothing happened."

Spotting how hard she was going at her bag, Helga drawled out. "Yeah. Nothing happened at all."

Sighing, Phoebe dropped her arms in defeat. "Fine! I was not only irritated in how Arnold treated you, but seeing as Gerald was his best friend, I had a feeling he supported his decision."

Cocking her head, Helga grabbed her hand to pull her out of the area so they can speak privately. "Tell me the truth, Pheebs. You know I love you."

She knew. She knew she could trust her. "Well remember how I told you that Gerald told me that he likes me and is looking to score these tickets to this show I wanted to see?"

"Yeah. And?"

Resting her back against the wall, Phoebe's eyes fell to her hands. "Gerald went out with Rhonda instead. That same night that Arnold told you that. Gerald went out with Rhonda with tickets to a show he wanted to bring me to."

Blinking, Helga wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Oh Pheebs. You should of told me."

"You've been so upset. You lost the love of your life and you have been reeling for so long due to him."

"Yeah but it shouldn't stop you from sharing with me." She felt so awful in not seeing it. "Thing is that Gerald isn't even with Rhonda."

"Still doesn't erase the pain."

Helga saw Ludwig coming into the gym towards them. "Perhaps, but there might be an explanation."

Approaching both the girls in their work out gear, Ludwig wondered how truly intelligent it was for him to come here instead of wait. "Hey guys. I'm wondering if I can speak to, Phoebe."

Nodding her head, Helga said she'd be in the locker room. Waiting for her friend to leave, Phoebe tried to act as brave as Helga most days when it came to these one on one sessions. "Yes, Ludwig?"

Smiling at her, Ludwig cleared his throat. "I'm wondering if I can take you out tonight. I wanted to ask you in person instead of over the phone."

"What about not seeing me in that light?"

Scratching the back of his neck, Ludwig shouldn't feel nervous in front of someone so tiny, but he knew that this girl can pack a wallop. "I was stupid. I was just plain blind. I want to see if there is something there. Would you like to take the chance with me?"

Phoebe had to consider it as she released her wrist guards off her. "Sure. Tonight?"

"Tonight. A dinner and a movie. Nothing fancy since I don't have much, but just something."

So long ago, Phoebe would never think that he would appear like an innocent pup. Right now looking upon her with such hope, she couldn't help but visualize him in that way. "That's perfectly fine, Ludwig. I would enjoy that."

"Excellent."

"Um I guess I'll see you at six if that is fine."

Almost distracted at the thought of what they'll both be doing in the locker room, Ludwig nodded his head profusely. "That will be great. I'll pick you up at your place." Bending to kiss her cheek, he had to leave to save his sanity.

Shaking her head at that strange behavior, Phoebe went into the locker room to retrieve her towel, and other essentials before heading into the shower room. Seeing a stall next to Helga she told her about the date. "He also left in a hurry as if he was possessed."

"He is a normal male." Helga informed her as she washed her hair. "Always thinking of us undressing and heading into the showers."

"Helga!"

"Pfft. OH sweet innocent, Phoebe." Rinsing her hair out, Helga waited to wash away all the suds. "A normal hetrosexual male will think of us taking showers. You know the whole water running down our naked flesh. Our soapy bodies. The whole possibility that we are consorting with one another as if I'm scrubbing your back down."

Blushing, Phoebe couldn't think of him having thoughts like that. "I refuse to believe that about him."

Rolling her eyes, Helga groaned. "If the boy got a hard on in the middle of a cafeteria, than he thinks like that. Also remember he has had sex before he got himself reformed into being a bible thumper."

"Would he try something with me though?"

"Doubt it. I'm sure he'll think about it once he realizes that you are more than what he originally thought about. Still, I am sure he'll respect you." Helga told her as she rinsed herself off.

Phoebe's eyes went from side to side wondering who else could hear them. "I kinda don't mind him thinking of me in that way. It feels nice."

Turning off the valve, Helga grabbed her towel to dry off. "Also empowering. I'm sure Arnold is thinking of me more in that way. Not that I would rush it to that point."

"Of course not."

Stopping in front of her stall, Helga thought to say something, but felt it was better to keep her in a good mood. "Maybe you'll both get to make out and have some fun. Just not that much fun." Listening to her friend giggle, she smirked. "I'm going to head in and change up."

"Alright. I'll see you there." During the rest of her shower, Phoebe thought about her date with Ludwig just thinking of different scenarios. She hoped for something more between them.

XX

They made better friends than a possible relationship. Phoebe still enjoyed him when they spoke about things they normally did speak about, but when it turned to more date related topics, it went dry. She wondered if he had any similar feelings that he was experiencing. She wondered plenty even as her eyes fell onto those sculpted biceps of his. It wasn't fair that someone like him was gifted with this body.

"I'm having fun with you." Ludwig honestly admitted. "You know your eyes sparkle into these pretty gems when you talk knowledge to me. I enjoy it."

So she has her answer to how he feels. "Really?" Did she just encourage him? She shouldn't of done that. Still as she sat in the theater waiting for the movie to start, she spotted Gerald coming in with Rhonda. Sure some of the gang was with them, except Arnold, but they were so close that it made her ill.

"Really. In fact." His face went down so his lips can connect with hers. He was right about her lips appearing as sweet to him. They felt so good.

Her eyes were wide at the first contact till she relaxed into the kiss. It wasn't truly life altering bad. It was actually very good. Very sweet, and he had this taste on his lips she enjoyed keeping against her.

XX

As for Gerald allowing the girls to pick the seats, he turned to find Phoebe making out with Ludwig of all people. His smile was wiped clean at watching her hand touch, Ludwig's face. Feeling a hand on his arm, Gerald looked into Rhonda's eyes. "Yeah?"

"She isn't marrying him." Rhonda was at her own lost of what to say to him. "You should just go up to her and tell her that you still feel the same about her."

Shaking his head, Gerald decided to leave the theater. He wouldn't be able to enjoy the movie knowing she was here on a date with, Ludwig.

XX

Finishing the kiss, Ludwig placed his hand on her back as her forehead rested against his chest. "Too much?" He smiled at the cherished sweetness. "I hope not since I want to go out with you again already."

Funny how it took a kiss to change her mind about him. "I would enjoy that as well, Ludwig." Lifting her head up, Phoebe received another kiss.

He chuckled at her sweet snicker into his mouth. "Is this funny?"

"No. I'm happy."

"Good. I'm happy too." Placing his fingers under her delicate chin, Ludwig wanted her to hear him say something. "Always talk to me when you love talking in those big fancy words, and discoveries you enjoy so much. I enjoy hearing how thrilled you get."

She kissed him. "Sure. Also I wouldn't mind seeing a bible study class. I'm quite curious on how you attend to yours."

"Tomorrow fine with you?"

"Tomorrow is fine."

Placing his large arm around her, Ludwig felt proud of the girl he was landing. He also felt great about giving her a chance. He knew why he always thought about, Helga and never her, so after she slapped him into reality, Ludwig needed to take her out.

It was perhaps the smartest thing for someone to do to him: Slapping him with reality.

* * *

His hands went into his hair. His toes curled up. It was much too cold in this place, and he was so very alone in here. Hell froze over and it made this asylum that he currently resided in.

The bellowing of the patients were making it far more tempting to tear out his ear drums. He looked to his barred up window in hopes that it was removed so he can disappear. His only conciliation of leaving there is that he will be gone soon. Just not soon enough.

Soon the alarms went off. The sound of someone screaming. The rushed footsteps coming closer and closer towards him. Curly's eyes went towards his door hoping for not another attack. Soon he heard the slam against his door. The scratching and he curled into a ball hoping to protect himself. He heard the Orderlies subduing the person before they were dragged away, and still he did not relax.

He just ended up weeping.

* * *

She stood there staring up at the red brick building towards the lighted up skylight. Her heart fluttered at what to do. So without too much thought in mind, she skipped to the other side of the street to climb up the fire escape. It was a fear to do so, but her desire to see him. He saved her. She was meant to be with him. She knew it.

So very carefully she swung herself around to wander over to look inside his large windows to find him there on the phone. She breathed hard wishing it was her on the phone with him. She wanted to hear his voice so very badly. Still as he hung up and answered his phone again, his smile was largely different. It appeared mostly lovesick. This is the smile she wanted him to look at her with.

"Oh Arnold. We are ever so perfect for one another. Be mines." Lila swooned softly.

"Hey Helga! I told my parents you were coming over and everyone wants to see you again. We can have pizza in my room, but just a simple hello and such." Arnold planned out loud. "Yeah I know, and I understand, but man they missed you." There was a pause from Helga evidently talking when he began to grin more. "Great! They'll be so happy."

She felt deflated. Arnold is seeing that evil person again? No, his family loves her instead. Miles even invited her over to dinner tomorrow when she came over earlier.

"Don't worry, Arnold. She'll see who is best for you." Lila promised. "I'll have you released from that evil witches spell."

* * *

Curly looked over the middle aged woman quietly. The woman that Helga regarded very highly. A woman that even he could hold respect for. He remembered the first time he saw her coming into, Mr Simmons class observing them. Remembered how short her hair was. Now it was obviously longer by it always being in a bun. Still though, she was very attractive for her age.

"You are actually good to go to, Helga's school." Dr Bliss informed him. For some time since he walked in there, she noted how tired he was. How he breathed a sigh of relief the moment he stepped in there. "They didn't file a restraining order in time."

Curly couldn't believe that. "That wouldn't be considered prudent, would it?"

"Normally not, but Helga has been doing a great job of keeping you on your toes while she is here. Your test scores are so good that you are eligible to go into the fifth grade. That means you could probably have the same lunch time as her. Still you will need to learn to adjust to others. It will be a task, but I know you can manage it." She informed him with all the confidence in the world.

He smiled at the thought of blowing past the tenth grade all together. "That's pretty cool on skipping one grade."

"Indeed. In fact." Bringing out a letter from her folder, Dr Bliss handed it to him. "We will be releasing you tomorrow. How does that feel?"

Reading it, Curly smiled. "Does my parents know?"

"Mmmhmm. They tried to get some time off to pick you up so, Helga will after school. You'll be free as a bird."

"Can I hug you?" Curly requested with hope.

Seeing as he was a low risk patient, Dr Bliss stood up. "I don't see why not." Feeling him go into her arms, she chuckled lightly at feeling how happy he was. "You still need to follow up with me with your sessions."

Stepping away from her, Curly nodded his head. "No problem. I'll keep them up."

"Congratulations, Thad. You are a free man as of tomorrow. It would of been today, but they want you to attend one last group."

He almost laughed at her making a face at that. It was so strange to see on a person like herself.

* * *

Stepping up to the front door, Helga didn't even have to knock on it when Stella opened it up to wrap her up in a large hug. Spotting all the boarders heading her away, all of them approached as she glanced up to see, Arnold looking at the scene in obvious good humor.

"I guess they missed me." She told him in a strangled tone.

Hearing her voice, Stella pulled away embarrassed. "Oh I'm sorry honey. We all missed you so badly that we couldn't help ourselves."

"Yeah. It's nice to have, Arnold's girl back." Ernie told her.

Blushing now, Helga's eyes went back to Arnold's unable to correct him at this time. "Well I missed you guys." Feeling Miles arm around her shoulders, she smiled up at him. "Hey Pops."

"Man I missed that." Kissing the side of her head, Miles hugged her. "The pizza is on the way and we made sure you have plenty of junk food up there to keep you occupied for your date."

Phil winked at Arnold. "At least we know he can't do anything with this Firecracker right now. Eh, Arnold?"

"GRANDPA!" Blushing, Arnold had to look away from everyone down there, but couldn't for long when he spotted an extra body among everyone else. "What are you doing here, Lila?" His voice more lowered.

Everyone turned around towards, Lila. Each one registering the same unhappy expression towards her, while Lila acted like everyone was grinning at her. "Why hello everyone! Miles invited me to have dinner with you all yesterday. I hope I'm not too late." Seeing Helga, Lila approached. "I didn't know Helga would be here."

Miles spoke up. "I didn't invite you here. In fact I told you to never come back here again. We don't want to see you here again, Lila."

Blinking at him, Lila looked up to Arnold. "I'll see you tomorrow beloved."

Silence befallen everyone even after she left. Helga knew that Arnold held no feelings for, Lila. "Well who wants to ask me the first question before pizza arrives?" She wondered.

XX

Upstairs in his bedroom they were both eating their pizza. Arnold thought that she was so sweet and cool downstairs with his family and extended family after Lila dropped in. She made it seem like she didn't barge in at all.

Spotting a bit of sauce on her chin, Arnold wiped it off gently. "You are still fantastic."

"I always was, Football Head. You just never appreciated my genius before." Sticking her tongue out, Helga continued eating her slice.

"Oh I did. I also loved kissing your genius too." There was that blush he adored. "Did you love it too?"

"No. Not at all." Smirking, Helga used her soda as an excuse to glance away from him. Feeling watched she turned her head back to him to find some sauce next to his lips. It was bold, but it wasn't new as she leaned over to kiss him there. Leaning back she pointed at that area. "Sauce."

Taking some sauce on his finger, Arnold dabbed a bit more on his lips. "Do I have anymore?"

Seeing what he did, Helga leaned over again to kiss him. "Plenty more." Leaning back she decided to inquire of him. "So how long has that dip been stalking you?"

"She hasn't been stalking me. She is just-"

"Stalking you and plus she is completely delusional." Helga interrupted very cooly. "Trust me when I know a stalker and know I've seen a delusional person."

Sighing while feeling the loving buzz of what those lips created for him quickly wane away from the mention of Lila, Arnold groaned. "A month after I told you to go away."

Moving herself closer to him, Helga could see how tired he was of this. "How did it first feel to you?"

"Why do I feel like I already know what you want to do with your life?" He half teased as he looked to his love.

She smirked. "Dr Bliss inspired me. I want to help like she helped me. I also still want to write." Reaching to grab a piece of meat for him, Helga gave it to him knowing how much he seemed to enjoy it.

Arnold savored it as a way to delay talking about someone who quickly became a thorn to his side. "Hated it. I spotted how something wasn't right about her. I saw something finally in what you said. Something in what Gerald said. She just wanted to feed her ego, and it felt like I was her main source. I mean I remember how gullible I was before I wised up, and finally fell for the girl I was meant for."

"Awe!" She mocked lightly. "You know you were experiencing jungle fever that day. Hence why you fell for me."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny, Helga." Moving to capture her lips again, Arnold almost regretted it due to the pain in his ribs, but didn't seeing how great those lips made him feel.

Hearing the sharp intake of air, Helga had to make sure he didn't try that again. "I won't get mad. Promise." She held up her hand to prove it. "Did you kiss her at all?"

"No, but she forced kisses on me. I've always shoved her off me." He told her honestly. "You know this is not the date I had in mind."

"Perhaps, but this is us getting to clear the cobwebs again." She sighed as she looked around his room as a lump formed in her throat. "Has she snuck in here?"

"Yeah. I was asleep and woke up feeling to not feeling alone anymore. I woke up with her beside me completely naked. I yelled out and of course my parents came into my bedroom. Lila told them that I invited her, but I told them I didn't." His eyes went over to his bed. "I know what I told you, but I never considered myself broken up with you. Strange, eh?"

XX

Gerald spotted Phoebe alone. His feet took off towards the bookstore finding his own opportunity to finally speak to her. Arnold finally took his opportunity, and he is on a date with Helga. Now he needed his own opportunity.

Heading inside, Gerald knew she loved the more knowledge based books so that had him heading upstairs. As he did that, Gerald spotted the pretty cutie dressed in blue wandering into the farthest corner of the store. She was heading into the History section. Smiling, Gerald didn't want to give her a line as he went over to thankfully find himself in a free area with her alone.

"Good Evening, Phoebe. How are you tonight?"

Phoebe turned to him as she lowered her arm down. "Hello Gerald. I'm fine. How are you?"

He wanted to be smooth. Debonaire with her, but she deserved something more. So opening up his mouth, he began to say the first words out of his mouth.

XX

"I didn't think we were broken up either even though I knew we were. I mean who says what you said, and not be broken up." Her eyes twitched wondering if she said that correctly. Her mind was a bit frazzled right now. "I was treating this as the worlds longest, not talking between a couple." She smacked herself against her head. "Ugh. I can't speak correctly right now."

Bringing her closer to kiss her where she smacked herself, Arnold hoped that she would bring her lips closer to him just so he can kiss her again. "Than I would love to make this official. Will you be my girlfriend again? You are the only one I can think about."

"Ahhh. You love swapping spit with me."

Chuckling at her crude behavior, Arnold kissed her. "Always. Now I do have a question for you. Have you kissed Ludwig?"

"As if, but I know that Phoebe has recently." Helga told him. "In fact, you are the only one I have ever kissed."

Loving that honor, Arnold was granted another kiss from those lips of hers. "I'm happy for that than."

Should she tell him she kissed a bubble headed likeness of him? Nah. That is better left in the dark recess of her mind. He already got rid of one crazy for the night. "Should we watch the movie than?"

"Sure." Pressing a button on his remote, Arnold winked at her as the move started up. "I still have it."

"Yeah, yeah." Grabbing another slice, Helga ate it as if she hadn't eaten at all for the past month.

Watching her with all the manners in the world, Arnold couldn't help but smile lovingly at his girlfriend. "After you are done with that slice, you have more sauce on you."

Not quite believing him, Helga moved to straddle him gently. "Where exactly? Why don't you demonstrate it."

XX

"I don't know why exactly you stopped speaking to me. I just don't. I just know that I've been missing you so badly." Was the first words out of Gerald's mouth. "I know you were angry with how Arnold treated Helga, and that is justified since she is your friend, but to treat me the same seems out of hand even for you."

Phoebe shook her head at him. "Remember that show you told me you got tickets for? The one for us. Well you decided to take Rhonda instead." She saw the clear look of astonishment in his eyes. "I saw you kissing her plenty of times too. I don't appreciate being led on just for you to turn around to be with someone like her."

Gerald will reflect on this moment later as a moment where his brain failed him. "Oh but baby, you know you mean the world to me. How I think of you day and night. Come on baby. Give me one more chance."

Words couldn't even capture the right response to that. Her eyebrows knotted together was so tangled that she knew it would lead to many headaches to come. "Tch." She left knowing that it would be impossible to view him again for a little while more.

Watching her leave, Gerald continued his one man show of believing that this was the way to a woman's heart. "Oh come on baby! You know we are meant for one another. Baby! Come on."

With many viewing him with varying degrees of either disgust or pity, Gerald deflated as he quickly reverted back to his normal self. "Now why in the hell did I try to talk like that to her?" He reflected.

XX

Arnold felt the shock wave hit him as his hand went down to the cushion hard. He closed his eyes wishing that this spasm didn't hit him like this right now in front of her, but she was quickly trying to calm him down.

Slowly she moved him into a lying position to relax his back. Her hands moved into his hair to give it a gentle stroke. "Shh. Listen to the tone of my voice." Her voice was as soothing as her touch to his skin. "Think of the sound of the ocean. Remember how it makes you feel."

He closed his eyes as he listened to her words, and felt he could hear the ocean. He remembered the last time he was there with her. His parents were there and so were his grandparents. They were both there as boyfriend and girlfriend, and they both settled down into the sand after a long walk. She was against him, and he felt on top of the world.

"I remember us both sitting on the beach. I loved seeing the breeze playing with your hair. I loved how it slightly tickled my skin." His voice sounded like it was in another world.

Smiling down at him, Helga remembered that too. "I remembered you telling me how you didn't want to leave that spot ever. Of course we did because of the tide coming in. Still I remember that smile of yours. The one where you are the most content."

His eyes opened to take in those blues. "Because I was with you."

Moving to kiss him, Helga smiled. "How is your back?"

"I don't feel it spasming. Thank you, Dr Pataki." Bringing his hand up, Arnold wanted to kiss her again. "You are better than medicine."

"I'm glad." Hearing a scream on the screen, Helga ignored it to kiss him once more.

XX

Gerald paused in his steps knowing that Arnold was on his date still. He screwed up with Phoebe. He messed up badly. "Well I know you are having a better go at it, Buddy." He didn't fault his friend for making good with, Helga. If his friend was happy than he was fine with that.

Walking past the boarding house, Gerald caught something out of the side of his eye prompting him to turn his head up, and quickly head up the fire escape. He momentarily cursed till he reached the person by placing them against the wall.

"What the hell is your deal?" Gerald eyed the silent person who stood there all in black. "Come on Brainy. I know you aren't stalking, Arnold."

There was such heavy breathing coming from Brainy. The guy hadn't been seen or heard too much at all around school, but when he was seen, it was near to Helga. Gerald continued to stare him in the eye hoping he could even silently communicate with him, but it was to no avail.

"Get the hell out of here. It is bad enough that Lila stalks, Arnold. Now you are stalking, Helga." Gerald pushed him away.

Smirking at Gerald, Brainy quickly scampered down the fire escape before making his get away. As for Gerald he made his way back down himself before leaving to head home.

XX

Pulling away, Helga cleared her throat. "I can't get too carried away here."

"I know." Watching her straighten up her hair, Arnold moved very carefully up. "Is it alright if I bring something up with you that isn't date related?"

"Yeah."

He sighed as he turned his head towards his computer. "I remember a bit more of what happened that night. I just want to know if I imagined it or not." He paused to get his nerve up. "Was it true that my-"

XX

"Gerald! What are you doing?" Rhonda called out as she wandered up to him to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

Gerald shook his head to release that feeling from his cheek. "I asked Phoebe to that show. You know that show that I took you to instead. That's the reason why she hasn't spoken to me. She felt betrayed."

Raising her manicured eyebrow up, Rhonda flipped her hair back. "That's silly. You asked me to that show."

"I didn't. You just invited yourself. You kept insisting and pushed yourself."

Insulted that a guy would think such a thing of her, Rhonda poked him in the chest. "Gerald, I have never been so insulted in my life. To think that I would ever do that is just demeaning. You asked. We went. We had fun. We continued to date. How is this my fault when it is all you?"

Covering his face up, Gerald grabbed her hand that was poking him. "Yeah we continued to date. Still I shouldn't of done it. I hurt her."

Blinking at him, Rhonda took her hand away from him. "Than that is your doing. If you would of told me, I would of backed off."

XX

Helga replied almost hesitantly. "Yes it is true. I stopped it before it could happen."

Feeling relieved and also ill, Arnold took his crutches to stand up. "Thank you. You are always there for me when I most need you. You have always been my angel."

Getting up, Helga went up cup his face in her hands. "You have always been my bright light at the end of the dark tunnel. I always got up from bed because of you."

* * *

Monday morning, Arnold already had to put out his crutch out when Lila approached. "Go away, Lila."

"Morning, boyfriend. You are oh so silly." Giggling, Lila went past the crutch to approach him. "I'm not mad that Helga was at your house. I know you wanted to give her stuff back. It was time after all."

Arnold could see each one of his friends expression trying to register what she was saying. He knew that, Gerald believed him about Helga, and about Lila coming to the house uninvited twice. "You are not my girlfriend. We are not a couple. We aren't even friends."

"Oh but, Arnold."

"Move out of the way!"

Arnold couldn't believe how much he missed that sentence. Smiling at his girlfriend pushing Lila out of the way, Helga kissed him. "Good Morning to you too, Helga."

Smirking away, Helga pulled back slightly. "Hey yourself. I am not much into that public display kinda thing, but I'm in a very good mood this morning."

"I'm happy about that."

Lifting up something for his inspection, Helga smirked. "I know that Gerald here is doing a really good job of helping out here."

"Thanks, Pataki." Gerald pointed at her as he was happy for the accolade. Standing a little away was, Phoebe with Ludwig watching their friend enjoy herself.

"This is just in case he is sick or something happens where he can't make it to class in time." Helga told him. "Olga had one. Of course hers was this sickly fluffy gross bag." Making a face at that, she continued. "This goes on your shoulder, or over your shoulder for a cross-fit bag. There is also an additional strap for around the waist so it doesn't beat you up as you are going along." Handing it to him, she placed her hands on her hips. "It is your choice after all to use."

Smiling at that type of freedom, Arnold took her by the hand to bring her in for a kiss. "I love it. Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Gerald spotted how Lila stomped her foot to get away from the scene. Seeing how Phoebe was giving off a questioning glance towards her had him stepping towards her. "Hi."

Stiffening up, Phoebe almost wished he didn't bother to approach. "Hello, Gerald."

The formal tone which was so clipped told him to make this quick. "I'm certain she told you something about, Lila. Anyhow I believe that she has an impending fatal attraction over Arnold. Each year since he called it quits with Helga, Lila had been stepping up her advances. Now she even has been caught going into that boarding house without permission, like last night. I know that Helga can take care of herself, but I just want you to keep a watch out. Too many, except for this group here." He indicated the group behind him. "Believe that she is this sugar sweet person that won't harm a fly."

"So everything is covert. I understand. It is bad enough that even Brainy has stepped up his own stalking with her. He has been harmless before, but I'm starting to wonder about that boy." Phoebe thought out loud.

Ludwig studied the hallway when he spotted, Brainy ducking away the moment he caught sight of him. "Speaking of which, He just hid away just now."

Gerald thought that was way too creepy. "Just as long as he hasn't snuck into her bedroom. It is bad enough Lila did that to Arnold once. Oh and also, Brainy was going up the fire escape last night so I stopped him from interrupting that date."

Nodding her head listening to that, Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Well thanks for that." Seeing Helga coming to re-join them, Phoebe just did a simple wave good-bye to him.

As for Arnold, to hear Helga whisper that Curly was coming back to school tomorrow will make Rhonda go overboard with accusations. How he wished he was feeling better to tackle all the crazy under one docket.

* * *

 **A/N: What to say here? Lila is nuts.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Lila and Brainy aren't teaming up. Lila is her very own looney tune right now. I'm going to let there be a mystery surround Lila, Brainy, and Curly for some time longer.**

 **Okay Guest, Arnold and Lila never went out together at all before. Arnold and Helga were in a previous relationship together and got back together again. By the way, I was wondering when you would pop yourself back up again.**

 **Thank you everyone for the kind reviews.**

* * *

Rhonda rushed towards Phoebe the moment she spotted her. She had to put the record straight with her after what, Gerald told her. Anger flowed through her like a river last night. Gerald placing blame on her for the whole debacle when it was all him.

"Phoebe. Oh dear, Phoebe. Oh I need to speak to you right away."

The drama pushed and pulled up at the right amount from Rhonda. Leaning her head back, Phoebe had to wonder why she bothered to finally speak to her. "How may I help you, Rhonda?"

Hearing the curtness from Phoebe, Rhonda remained undeterred. "I need to talk to you about, Gerald. I need to tell you that I had no clue that he bought those tickets for you and him. When he told me about them I got excited about it and he never mentioned once that he got the tickets for you."

Leaning against the adjoining locker, Phoebe decided to listen to her. "Did he at least once tell you they were. I mean did he try."

"He said he tried, but that was last night. Phoebe, I swear to you that he never did, and if he did I wouldn't of gone on that date. I'm deeply sorry and I'm actually sorry that I might of caused this."

Spotting some genuine emotion from her, Phoebe placed a forgiving smile on her face. "In that case I forgive you. I just can't with him because I'm fairly certain he tried to make you into the bad guy last night."

Rhonda didn't want to throw him under the bus, but he was. "He did, and I don't want to hurt you of all people. You've always been so sweet."

Taking a deep breath in and out, Phoebe shook her head. "I'm sorry he did that to you. We are good."

"Thank you, Phoebe." Feeling she should extend herself more, Rhonda continued to speak. "Would you like to hang out with us and the girls after school? Helga is more than welcome aboard. We girls should always stick together."

"Does this also mean, Lila?" Phoebe saw the flicker of disgust at the name. "Is there a problem with her?" She inquired feigning innocence.

Scanning from left to right of the hallway, Rhonda came closer. "She won't take a hint. We don't want her around us anymore. She wants to use Arnold for her own gain. I mean it took me a while to put it together, but she did use him to feed her own ego before. Wherever we go, there she is. It is absolute madness, Phoebe."

"Hmm. I appreciate that, Rhonda. Helga has had her own preview of that amount of strangeness this weekend from her." Turning back to her locker, Phoebe went to grab her stuff. "I hope that invitation wasn't for tonight. I'm usually pretty busy, but I'll try to make some time."

"No it certainly wasn't. It'll be better on a non-school night anyhow. Better for all us girls to get together and do what we do best."

It almost sounded like Rhonda was fluffing up behind her. If she had a mirror in her locker, Phoebe would of saw her throwing her arms around in a full dramatic twist. Also with how she described it, Helga would certainly balked at the idea. "That does sound like a good idea." Closing her locker up, Phoebe held her belongings close to her. "Let me know and I wouldn't mind getting together than."

Throwing out every phrase in every language that Rhonda deemed extravagant, she waved her hand in front of her face. "Why certainly, Phoebe. I will be happy to. Now I know I shall see you later. Ta!"

Observing the girl strut away as if she was a model, Phoebe just left to meet up with Helga. Of course she wasn't none too surprised at seeing her with Arnold. Helga kissing him against her car. Seeing her friend jiggle about with her face in a wide smile, Phoebe knew she was very happy right now. Of course she had to avoid to try to avoid Gerald, but seeing as he waved at her, Phoebe waved back at him.

Seeing Phoebe, Helga kissed Arnold one more time. "Well we are going to go and pick Curly up." She told him.

"Alright. I'm certain he'll be happy to finally be back home." Arnold kissed her not wishing to stop doing so.

"He will be so we should get our butts moving, Football Head."

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later then. I love you."

Her heart danced. "I love you too." Giving him another kiss, Helga opened up her door. "See you later."

Pulling away some, Arnold readjusted himself to head over to, Gerald's car. Hearing the engine roar to life from her vehicle, Arnold turned his head to admire both the girl and the car as they slowly pulled out of the parking lot.

"Mmm mmm mmm. You are whipped."

The grin he portrayed showed how much he just didn't care. Arnold was happy to have her back with him.

XX

"You guys have no idea how much I want to sleep right now. I want to sleep without the fear of someone screaming and trying to break into my room to attack me." Turning himself in his seat, Curly had to be able to look at, Helga in the front seat, and Phoebe in the back almost at the same time. "If people thought I was insane years ago, I have news for them: I'm not! I'm one hundred percent sane. If they want proof, I'll throw them in there for a week."

Almost to his house, Phoebe gave him another bottle of water to drink from the amount of talking he was doing. It was just non-stop since he left there. She guessed that if she was in his same shoes, she'd be acting the same way. "Well I'm most thrilled to have you out of there, Curly."

Helga agreed. "Same here. It'll be nice not to see you experience the after affects of another crazy attack from another person." Reaching over, Curly took her hand to almost nuzzle it like a pet. "We want you safe."

"Oh gosh. Same here." Facing forward in his seat, Curly settled unto some reality. "What if I get taunted in High School?"

"Just do what, Dr Bliss taught you. Do those exercises." Phoebe suggested while reaching forward to place her hand on his shoulder.

Helga honestly didn't want to tell him that she told, Arnold and Gerald about him heading back to school, and to watch out for Rhonda's behavior towards him. She did mention another thing. "Arnold and Gerald do know you are coming back tomorrow."

His hands slowly went up towards his scalp. "Oh god."

"The rest don't."

Hands going into his hair, Curly gripped his hair. "I'm going to get teased relentlessly for ending up in an asylum. I will."

Pulling over, Helga took off her seat belt to inch over to take his face gently between her hands. She began to breath calmly so he can follow suit. "Remember to breath, Curly. You are better than this."

Phoebe placed a gentle hand on his forearm. "Think of yourself as the elite."

His eyes shifted towards the sound of her voice. "Why?" Genuine confusion marked in his voice.

"Did you know that there are many that do check into mental health spas as their way of detoxing from the pressures of the world. You could say you were doing the same thing." She offered hopefully.

"It is actually true there." Helga honestly never wanted to use that method on him seeing as he hardly actually cared. "Though to be quite honest here, you really have nothing to be ashamed of. It happens to the best of us."

Curly examined his friend closely. "I liked it better when I had no fear."

"Well you are still there, it just got sapped a little from that place." Pulling away, Helga returned back to her seat.

"It'll come back, Curly. I believe in you." Phoebe added in like a personal cheerleader.

Falling into silence, Curly knew he could do it. He just knew it would take a lot of time for him to do so. He was already so shaky.

* * *

Finally arriving home, Helga heard her name being called from the living room by her dad. Feeling the weight of the whole school day, plus the emotions from Curly weighing in on her, Helga didn't need anything extra as she went into the room with two led feet. Sure she was on better terms with her parents, but days such as these were times she just wanted to retire into her room to plop her head on her pillow, and drift away.

"Hey dad."

Bob heard the tired tone of her voice marking how his happy tone turned into one of concern. "What's up with you?"

She shrugged. "Just tired and hungry."

"Oh! Well your mom made a huge meal and put some aside for you. She went off to her meeting, but she should be back soon." There went that chipper tone to his voice again as he raised up an envelope to her. "I got something for you. I bet it is another acceptance letter."

Walking over to him she went to grab for it just for him to pull it away. "What?"

"I'm proud of you. You've accomplished so much in so little time. Any of these schools are fine to go to." Handing the letter to her, Bob waited for her to open it.

She wanted to open it, but was willing to wait. "Perhaps mom should be here too when I do." This was the school she actually wanted to end up at. The one that was strongly recommended to her.

"That's a fine idea." Bob told her appreciating the idea. "Now why don't you go get something to eat. It is still in the oven so it should still be warm."

Nodding her head, Helga wandered into the kitchen happy that at least her mom took some pride in cooking. No more smoothies. No more things that were harmful to her. Depositing the envelop on the table, she casually went to the oven just to find a large helping for her left over. At least it wasn't small. At least it wasn't pork rinds.

Lifting it up, Helga enjoyed that it was still warm as he informed her. So placing it on the table, she went about getting some utensils, and something to drink before tearing into it. This was always a gauge to inform anyone how famished she was. To tell the truth, she didn't remember even eating lunch. She remembered sitting at a table, but just remembered a book in front of her. She remembered how Ludwig asked loads of questions to Phoebe in a lovesick way. Than she remembered how she wished she shared the same lunch as, Arnold.

A smile lifted up at the thought of him. She hated that a beating was both a curse and a blessing. She hated the pain he was still in, but loved how they started to talk again. How she missed him. How it felt good to bury that hatchet. How it felt to have his arms surrounding her once more. She warmed at that thought even as it instantly became alerted to the softer sounds of her mom's footsteps entering the house.

"I'm home!" She announced gaily.

Helga surmised she had another great AA meeting. Hearing Bob speaking to her, she soon at both her parents in the kitchen with her. There was a new sobriety chip, Miriam was sporting. Something she was clearly proud of. Something that even Helga was too.

"Hello Honey. How was your day?" Miriam inquired as she came over to kiss her gently on the forehead.

"Good." Helga answered. "Also this food is really good."

Sitting down in the adjoining chair, Miriam sighed with delight. "Well I'm happy you enjoyed it."

Grabbing her envelop, Helga tore it open with the grace of a Sea Lion with no hands. Tacky at best, but it gets the job done. Lifting up the paper inside, Helga grinned. "I got in."

"Is that the school you really wanted to go into?" Miriam wondered as she took the letter to read it.

"Yes. That's the school." Helga looked over to her dad who was reading over his wife's shoulder.

Miriam got up to hug her youngest daughter. "Oh Bob! Our daughter will be a success. Just you wait and see."

Coming over to hug her on the other side, Helga felt the strangeness once more at having so much loving attention from them. She couldn't believe it at times.

XX

Entering her bedroom after cleaning up, Helga wandered over to her closet after depositing her robe on the bed. She felt it wasn't even feasible for her to even do this in her own bedroom as she felt that feeling prickle her skin once more. The feeling of being watched. So grabbing a simple shorts and tank top, Helga slipped them on.

Turning her head towards the spot where she once had her shrine, Helga left her closet once her inspection of that space was done, and went to her bed to grab her robe. There was that feeling of being watched again. She knew those eyes, but she had to fully concentrate on where they might be even if he became clever about it.

So as she placed the robe on a hook, Helga crossed her arms over her chest to inspect her room carefully. It was nearby. That much she can tell as she lowered herself on her knees to than get on the ground to inspect under her bed. There was nothing there. Raising herself up, Helga went to her Hutch where she stored her television and other various items. There was nothing there except one item that interested her greatly.

Turning around to look towards her window, Helga got her slingshot ready while she got closer. So opening the window up, Helga decided to look down ready to target a random trash can. It was all a ruse until she raised it up quickly to aim it towards the tree letting the rock in the sling fly free. Hearing a pained yelp, Helga glared up towards Brainy dressed all in black.

"You deserve to be locked away." She told him gritting her teeth as he quickly flew down her tree. "When I get my hands on you, you'll wish that I killed you a long time ago, Brainy!" She cried out.

Closing the window and closing the curtains, Helga needed to calm down. She needed that sweet voice in her ear. So grabbing her phone she called up Arnold just to hear him groan out in pain. "Did you just climb a bunch of stairs?"

On his end, Arnold was glaring up towards his skylight. "No, but I just got finished at yelling at someone. My own parents went chasing after her hoping to catch her. This is just tiring."

Sitting down on her bed. "So we both have our own stalkers. Brainy was outside my window peeping on me."

"What?! I remember watching him stalk you when we were younger, but seriously?" Arnold was incredulous at this behavior from both of their former friends.

Hearing his growls turn more menacing, Helga was almost very turned on. "Keep that up and I might sneak in and get naked next to you."

Halting at the thought of that, Arnold melted. "Well I still wouldn't mind giving you a sponge bath." He purred.

"You can once you are feeling much better. Right now you can use your imagination." Moving to lay down, Helga thought to give him some good news. "I got into Hillwood Medical University. That's the school I've been wanting to go to. My parents are so excited. You are the first person I'm telling."

Grinning, Arnold was thrilled for her. "Fantastic! I'm happy for you. Do you think you'll be the youngest Psychiatrist around?"

"Oh I don't know, but I'm thrilled. At least I don't have to worry about smelly dorm rooms. One day I'll travel. Right now I just want to do this. Tomorrow I'll tell Phoebe and even Curly. Oh I know Dr Bliss will be thrilled too. Shit this is as good as hitting someone with your slingshot." Helga's legs were dancing around with excitement. "Shoot! I feel like really going to your place to plant a kiss on you."

"I wouldn't stop you there." Hearing footsteps coming up to his room, Arnold knew it was his parents. "My parents are coming back up."

"Oh that's fine. You want to call me back?"

"Nah. You are important and they'll share this with you too." Arnold said as he watched his door open to see his parents standing there. "It's Helga on the phone. She got into Hillwood Medical University."

Stella and Miles yelled out a bout of congratulations before tearing the phone away from him. "Oh honey we are so proud of you." Stella told her. "We should celebrate one day."

"Sure I'd like that. I don't mind a simple dinner together with all of you." Helga told them.

"Oh we could arrange that. Now let us hand you back to Arnold." She said.

Arnold saw that his parents simply stood there making him question them. "Did you catch her?"

"Yes." Miles told him unhappily. "That girl told us that you had her come up this way to meet you. Of course this means that we'll have to tighten this latch better now."

"Well there is no way I want her around me at all. As it is, it will be hard to have a restraining order with her in the same school as me." Listening to Helga repeating something, Arnold chuckled. "She keeps saying to send her to an asylum. That should straighten her out."

Rubbing his chin, Miles thought that might be a good idea. "I'm not opposed to that."

Nudging her husband, Stella shook her head. "I don't think so. As it is, I believe we should have a talk with her father about this. This is just too serious now. We keep telling her to go away and she keeps coming back. Arnold tells her the same thing, and she doesn't listen. We have to speak to her father."

Helga listened to this as she crossed her legs. "At least you know where that dingbat lives. Who knows where Brainy lives now. His family moved and no one knows where they live now."

Arnold was dragged back into that. "Really? You know maybe I can ask Rhonda since you know how she touts how she knows everything in Hillwood."

"Well so does this so-called Fuzzy Slippers, but I'm still betting that is either Gerald or Brainy." Helga deadpanned.

"Heh. You are correct there. You never know, but still I just don't like the fact that he was peeping through your window."

Hearing the voices of Stella and Miles going nuts over that new information, Helga face palmed herself. "Perhaps you shouldn't of said that with them there."

Watching them now worry about, Helga's safety, Arnold had to agree. "True, but at least they love you enough to care."

She smirked at that thought. It was nice to feel that love from them as she now was privy to talks on how to unify themselves. She swore she was back in the jungle where they were about to defend themselves from La Sombra.

* * *

While Curly enjoyed being at home with his parents again. While he loved being in his own bedroom with not even a crazy person around to strangle him in his sleep, Curly was afraid.

Tomorrow was his first day back of High School and he not only feared some of his old group, but HER. While he loved her, she filled him with a sort of contention that now festered within him. His skin was threatening to boil over even though it wasn't heated. It was all memory of that day. A day he knew was now in infamy. While Helga and Phoebe never brought it up, Curly knew best. All his past deeds all went down like so.

Curling up in the fetal position had him imagining those eyes of hers. Will she recognize him? Suddenly this had him getting up to find his contacts that he knew he had. Contacts he never wanted to wear due to believing his glasses lent him some individuality. Now he needed to blend into the crowd. Soon as he located them, Curly smiled as he brought the solution up to have the soak in.

Soon his eyes went up to his hair to find that he indeed aged in there. His face a bit more slimmer. Hair a bit more longer, but nothing too shabby for being in an asylum. Still it didn't truly appear like him so he hoped that, Helga and Phoebe will approve the new look for tomorrow.

At least time will tell.

* * *

Fussing with her make-up, Rhonda always had to make sure she stayed at the top. She was the pinnacle of fashion regardless of her grade in this school. She was already seeing the Captain of the Football Team. Of course many thought she was seeing the Captain of the Basketball team. Something that should never be confused seeing as she hated being stuck in a sweaty gym at any time.

As she cared more about how perfect she appeared, Rhonda spotted a new body moving down the corridor. Her eyes remained casual as she acted more fixated with herself, as the new guy with raven hair, astounding eyes, and almost a models walk, strutted down the hallway.

When he passed by her, Rhonda decided to poke her head away from her locker to take a gander at his back section. Very slowly she closed her locker up giving off a very approving sound as, Nadine joined in.

"He's a Junior. First day here. I didn't catch his name, but already there are plenty of girls wanting his number." Nadine informed him. "They say he has a really nice voice. Very smart too."

Pushing away from her locker, Rhonda decided to pursue the newbie. "So other girls want him. How interesting?"

"You know you are with, Doug." Nadine reminded him in a disapproving tone.

Rolling her eyes, Rhonda had to inform her of something. "Doug is already playing around with, Mandy."

"Mandy is his cousin."

Turning her head casually towards her best friend, Rhonda smirked at her for knowing something dreadfully important. "This is what the rich call, 'Keeping the bloodlines close.' I wouldn't do it myself, but in that world, I'm the mistress." She scrunched up her nose at that word. "I just don't know why I just don't end it with him. I'm sick of nothing out of this."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Nadine watched as the new kid disappeared. "Because you were seeking popularity like always."

Settling down, Rhonda sighed. "Ugh, you're right. I'll just end it with him when I see him later."

XX

His nerves were feeling rattled with the amount of people in there. Curly felt weird whenever even a random girl came up to him to flirt. He didn't want to tell them his real name, so he went with his middle name in class. Something that was still legal to do. Curly really was just a strange little nickname anyhow.

"Hey there Fallow. Which lunch do you have?"

He smiled at Helga as he once hated his middle name to now liking it. "11:30. What time is yours?"

Helga's expression dropped. "No you were supposed to be with us. This was an error. Come on."

"Well who else has that time?"

"Rhonda."

His eyes rounded just a bit before relaxing. "Lead the way."

XX

Finding that they didn't want to change it, Helga was calling up, Dr Bliss about the snafu. As she did, Arnold approached with Gerald beside him. Curly continued to glance down even as they neared, but still Arnold said hi to him.

"Hi Curly. How's the day going so far?" Arnold whispered obviously knowing not to announce who he was just yet.

Shaking his head, Curly pointed to Helga. "She's angry because they were supposed to have my lunch at her time. Now I don't want to face a certain element again."

Gerald understood after his last meltdown. "Don't worry about it, Fallow." He assured him as he adopted his middle name. "If you want, both of us can have lunch with you until you get your lunch changed."

"Yeah and if Rhonda comes over, we'll deflect her as best as we can." Arnold offered.

Slightly encouraged, Curly did remember how much Rhonda loved getting her way. "Thanks guys."

Hanging up the phone, Helga growled. "Well Dr Bliss will be coming over some time today to straighten it out. Let us hope it will be by the end of today."

"Helga everything will be just fine. You'll see." Arnold told her with that positive note in his voice.

Scanning him up and down, Helga had to give him credit standing there almost all decked out like a mummy to give that line to her. "I'll see." Moving to kiss him, Helga smiled at him. "Just make sure that Princess doesn't recognize him."

Gerald couldn't help but catch how there were already differences about, Curly already. "Well he looks different to me. Without glasses and that signature hairstyle, he's different."

Pointing his finger at him, Curly curled his lip. "Thank you. Thank you very much."

Spotting the old Curly standing before them, Helga patted him on the shoulder. "You'll be fine with them. I know I have to get going to class so I'll see you guys later."

Curly was left alone with, Arnold and Gerald now. He didn't want to face lunch with them. He didn't want to face lunch at the same time as with HER.

He could hear them both chattering away, but Curly wasn't paying them any mind as they walked through the doors, and he automatically went one way to avoid her immediately. Of course the table he chose was just a table full of flirtatious girls prompting him to get up.

Arnold followed after him just to point out a smaller table that wasn't large enough to fit a lot of people. Seeing how Curly practically ran to it, Arnold felt bad for the guy. "All this because of her?"

"She's eyeing me right now." Curly ducked his head hoping that could help her prying eyes. Why in the hell did she have to become more beautiful? Couldn't she become uglier as she got older?

"It'll be fine, Fallow. Just remain focused and you should be fine. I know that you'll hate hearing this over and over again, but I believe in you." Arnold told him as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

Gerald saw it. He saw how Rhonda stood up. Saw how she strutted herself this way towards them. Her eyes focused mainly on, Curly. "She's approaching. Remain calm." He whispered.

Rhonda eyed her prey as she easily sat down next to him. His own olive skin was flawless. His jawline perfect. That hair had nothing wrong with it to the point of not having even any hair product in it. He smelled divine, and those lips were just as heavenly as that physique he held. He wasn't muscular, which was fine with her, but she enjoyed those broad shoulders. Still those hazel eyes had her wishing he kept his eyes on her. She was almost struck speechless.

Almost.

"Why Arnold. Gerald. Why are you all they way over here instead of with us?" She inquired as her eyes remained focused on the newcomer.

Arnold decided to speak. "Well Fallow wanted to eat over here so we thought we'd accommodate him. He is new here to school."

Left hand to her chest, Rhonda extended her right hand out. "Fallow? What a most interesting name for a most interesting person. My name is Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd. Charmed to meet your acquaintance."

Eyeing the hand in front of him, Curly decided to move his hand to pick up his drink to take a swig of it before placing it down. "Yeah. Hi."

Finding it strange that a boy wasn't taken in by her beauty, Rhonda continued on. "So Fallow. Will you like to join me at the movies? We can get dinner beforehand. I hear that there is this lovely restaurant that will cater to your whims."

"I have a girlfriend and as far as I know about you." His eyes met hers briefly. "You have a boyfriend. I'm not one to condone cheating so I'm flattered, but I'm not interested."

Nodding her head, Rhonda stood up. "Welcome aboard to this school than." She felt insulted as she stalked her way back to her table. She couldn't believe that she was turned down. Sitting down, she grabbed Nadine. "I will not give up."

Nadine just rolled her eyes at her friend. That girl will never stop now.

Back at that table, Curly closed his mouth from outright rejecting Rhonda. "I can't believe I did that."

"We're proud of you buddy. You did a good job." Gerald cheered.

"Yeah. Now you have to hope that, Dr Bliss will get your lunch time changed by the end of today so you don't have to worry about that again." Arnold told him even as he picked up his phone to answer a call. "Hey Mom. Yeah I'll be out front after school. Don't worry about it. Alright. Love you." Hanging up he told them both. "Hopefully my breaks are healed up."

"Hopefully."

Curly looked at the crutches beside him. "Wouldn't it be nice not to have to deal with that shit anymore."

"You don't know the half of it. Of course they need to still do X-Ray's on me and they have you twisted in all these stupid positions. It is insane." Arnold cursed under his breath surprising Curly.

Gerald spotting the expression on his face, he said. "Ever since the attack, Arnold hasn't been watching his tongue lately."

Curly could understand that completely. Pain has a way of making even the most calmest person angry.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: To tell you the truth, I have a few supposed bad guys in this story instead of just one.**

* * *

It felt almost very liberating not to have the cast on anymore, but still he had to have a brace on for the next two weeks. Of course he needed to attend Physical Therapy. Still the brace now around his back was a pain, but the doctor hoped that it won't be on for too long once he gains some strength back.

"It would of been great to hear about this last night." Helga told him from behind.

Turning to face her, Arnold smiled at her as she went into his arms. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Good surprise." Pulling back to kiss him, Helga did feel his brace on his back. "Does that cut into your ribs?"

"Nah. They put on quite a few before they found one that fit nicely on me." Arnold assured her. "Also I have P.T twice a week after school. It is Mondays and Thursdays. Gerald volunteered to help out there by driving me there." Seeing her frown he wondered what was wrong. "Is there a problem?"

"No that's cool. I can also help out too if you want." She offered as she went to whisper in his ear. "I just can't promise another sponge bath."

Groaning out at that thought, Arnold kept his hold on her. "You are so bad."

"Maybe, but you love it."

Burying his face into her soft hair, Arnold couldn't argue that. "I do. I really do."

Giggling, Phoebe decided to leave her friend alone with Arnold as she walked a bit ahead finding that Gerald was walking beside her. He still hadn't provided her a proper explanation of that day, and while she did want to move past it, it didn't help she still had that lame, 'Babe' speech in her head still.

Gerald was scratching the back of his neck as he walked beside her. "Rhonda even pointed out to me that night. Well you know that same night I spoke to you like an idiot. She did make a good point that I could of gotten out of that night if I really did tell her that I already made plans with you."

"Were you interested in her at the moment when she did come with you?" Phoebe wondered curiously.

"No. To me she is way too stuck up, but during the show I did have some fun so that's why I went out with her again." Stopping her with his hand, Gerald wanted her to look him in the eyes. "I really do care for you, Phoebe. With Rhonda it was just temporary. Something that was taken out of my system that I didn't know was there." He wished he could ask her out on a date, but he knew she was taken. "I would love to be friends with you again. That is if you want to. I missed you."

Phoebe wanted to question something about that night more, but it felt too infantile to her. They were both growing up, and she just wanted to push past this. Also seeing how he spoke to her like a human being, Phoebe accepted it. "I would like to be friends again too, Gerald. I just want to push past that." Turning her head to see the happy couple approaching, Phoebe smiled sweetly. "If they could, than we can too."

"Thanks, Phoebe. I'm glad to hear that." As Gerald turned his attention towards the building he spotted Brainy ducking away. "What the hell?'

Turning her attention to where Gerald's were, Phoebe tried to catch what he was looking at. "What is it?"

"Brainy. He just ran off."

"He doesn't go to this school. I checked yesterday." Phoebe informed him quietly as she heard, Helga behind her.

Catching what was said, Helga had to ask herself. "Who doesn't come to this school?"

Hearing the cautious, but unmistakable voice of how Helga worded that, Phoebe knew she had to answer. "Brainy doesn't attend this school. I checked the records yesterday." Gritting her teeth, Phoebe felt like she was exposing her friend somehow. "According to public records, his family lives out of state."

Feeling concerned, Arnold grew curious. "Does he live with any other family here?"

Shaking her head, Phoebe answered softly. "He has been reported missing. I even contacted Missing Persons telling them that I've been spotting him around this school lately."

"Do you think he stayed because someone in his family was abusive?" Arnold hoped not, but than another thought sprung to mind as he turned to his girlfriend. "Or he is sticking around for you, Helga."

Sighing, Helga growled. "Well I wish he would go back to his family because I don't need any stalking."

"True, but maybe next time you see him you try to speak to him." Arnold suggested.

"Yes, as if that helped you out tons with little Ms Perfect." Helga told him waving her hands up in the air. "You don't think I haven't tried talking to him? That boy just breaths very heavily and says; I don't know. Think about it, Football Head." Stomping off, she thought to avoid another suggestion she had already tried on that four eyed creep before.

Staring at her back, Arnold deflated. "Yeah she already told me about that before. I wish I remembered sooner."

* * *

City workers were inspecting one of the tunnels below the city streets. It was always a thankless job to them as they waded through some sludge sometimes. There was always something around the corner, and all of them wished to never find particular objects that would have them reeling.

Sometimes they would find some odds and ends down there that had them scratching their heads. Like one time finding a very old antique desk that was in still good condition. A large front end portion of a 1954 rusted up Chevy Truck. Something so large there was no way it could fit into some of the tunnels down there.

Today one of the newer people on the job found a slightly ajar door. Shining a light on it, the male squinted through the door feeling watched from inside. Hearing that homeless people often lived down here, he called on his radio that he'll be inspecting a door that he located down a tunnel. After giving a location and hearing that his fellow co-workers will come to also inspect with him, he decided to tap on it.

"Hello? If there is anyone in there, I suggest that you need to leave." He called out cautiously.

He waited for a few minutes even as he heard a few of his colleagues approach from behind. Telling them that there was no one answering in there, he pried the door open where a loud squeaking sound was heard in its wake.

"I think there is a nut case in this one." Came his Supervisor as he beamed his flashlight in.

They all stepped inside to find sentences repeating themselves, a poem, and several drawings of a beautiful girl with blonde hair. Some were dressed. Most were undressed.

The smaller of the group was reading the poem before he looked over the drawings. "Unsure if these are fresh or not, but it sure is creepy."

The Supervisor called up as he viewed the area to note the calender entry. "Don't touch anything. Due to the suspicious nature it is best if we let the cops inspect this place."

The newer guy who located this place jumped at something in the far corner. "Yeah I'm fine with that. More than fine with that."

Turning his nose up at that scene, the Supervisor ushered his crew out of the area. In all his years on this job, that still wasn't the most disturbing.

* * *

Arnold was wandering into first period when Helga came stepping up in front of him. She stopped him with just a kiss. "I remembered what you told me after. I'm sorry, Helga."

She kissed him once more as a kiss grew on her face. "I figured." Brushing her hand against his face, Helga loved the feeling of his skin under the palm of her hand. "I'll see you later."

Committing each little nuance of those enchanting eyes of hers in his head, Arnold watched as she turned away from him. He held this perfection inside of him that perhaps many still thought was mysterious, but not him. To him, she is perfection.

"You just looking to slap a promise ring on that girl." Gerald observed.

Arnold's thoughts were still deep with Helga. His grin grew. His heart strummed. His feet actually felt lighter.

XX

Curly smelled her expensive fragrance prompting him to instantly grab his belongings to scatter. He could hear her heels clicking against the cheap linoleum in a strut he knew only as hers. Her walk has always been ingrained inside his head. Everything about her was in there to the point where he was sure that a frontal lobotomy couldn't help him. He just wished to be alone.

Walking into his first class, Curly took the seat near to the window. He was hoping she wouldn't enter here, but it seemed like she was trying until Ludwig wandered into class. A class he didn't share with him given that he had a higher GPA than, Ludwig. Still, he seemed to be there to offer a sorta interference.

Ludwig pretended to pass him something which was really his empty his hand, but since his large body was obstructing her view, it could be anything. "Hey! I saw you drop this way back there. I'm glad I found you since it seemed important."

Pretending to grab the imaginary object, Curly saw that Rhonda left. "Thanks."

A sideways smirk found its way on his face. "Don't worry about it." With a casual wink to show he understood, Ludwig left to head to his own class next door.

Sighing, Curly opened up his book to just review the chapter. As he did a girl sat down next to him. A quiet girl who did introduce herself as, Sandy yesterday, but obviously held no ulterior motive as of now.

"Morning." Her twinkling voice called out to him as if on a breeze.

"Morning." He greeted back.

He had a feeling that would be it on their speaking terms for the remainder of the semester.

* * *

Feeling Lila's hand on his leg, Arnold slapped it away. "Stop it, Lila." Moving away from her, he noticed she also got up to follow him. "I mean it. Go away. I don't want you anywheres around me anymore."

Giggling, Lila latched onto his arm. "Let's go outside. The weather is perfect to have a picnic." She suggested.

Snatching his arm away from her, Arnold glared at her. "You go into my home uninvited. You sneak into my room, uninvited. How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested in you until you get the idea? I don't like you, Lila. I'm in love with Helga. Helga is my girlfriend."

Blinking at him, Lila frowned. "I'm your girlfriend. Not Helga. Me."

Food forgotten from his friends, they joined at another meltdown of Lila's. Gerald stood up as he readied himself to separate, Lila from his best friend. Rhonda and Nadine began to stand up as well just to get her away. As for Arnold, he stared at the girl knowing how much she needed professional help.

"Helga is my girlfriend. She has been my only girlfriend." Arnold said to her very calmly hoping that would help.

Standing there immobile, Lila repeated his every word. "Helga is my girlfriend. She has been my only girlfriend." Turning on her heel, Lila exited the cafeteria as if in a daze.

"That was certainly strange." Stated Gerald in a creeped out manner. "I'd put motion detectors up near your room in case she tries something."

Sitting down, Arnold placed his hands in his scalp. "Helga suggested a bear trap the other night."

Laughing nervously at that one, Gerald had a funny thought. "Lila would have an idea how to get out of that. Crazy chicks could do the wildest things."

While Arnold will not claim to know it all, Arnold will claim to love having Helga in his arms once more at the end of the day. Somehow the day felt longer after they parted. Avoiding Lila became a large sport to try to manage now. Still as he slid into her car so she can drive him home that day, Arnold just observed his girlfriend all the way home.

Of course Helga did have to try to break him from that trance. "Why are you staring so much?"

"You are so beautiful." He breathed out happily. "I can't help it."

"You're a sap." Reaching over, Helga brushed her finger against his cheek.

"Hmm. Hey do you think that it is premature for me to begin playing guitar?" He wondered as his eyes landed on a passing music store.

Thinking about it, Helga enjoyed the thought of it. "I think it would be a wonderful way of regaining some strength in your hand."

Grinning, Arnold couldn't wait. "Than I'll play for you like old times."

That was one of her favorite parts of coming over. To watch him play his guitar and sing to her. "I also use to love the sound of your singing." She hinted.

"I'll sing for my Angel." He crooned with delight.

XX

 _All day staring at the ceiling_

 _Making friends with shadows on my wall_

 _All night hearing voices telling me_

 _That I should get some sleep_

 _Because tomorrow might be good for something_

 _Hold on_

 _Feeling like I'm headed for a breakdown_

 _And I don't know why_

Curly brought his knees up closer to his chest. His hands dug into his head as he fought to maintain control of himself. He should call Dr Bliss. He should call Helga or Phoebe, but he didn't have the strength as he continued to murmur the words to the song.

 _But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell_

 _I know right now you can't tell_

 _But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see_

 _A different side of me._

The memories of the asylum reached him. He knew that no one was about to invade his personal space to attack him, but that memory of that one person with the rotting teeth. The one who strangled him in there clawed the recess of his mind.

He stood up knowing he had to extend himself to leave the confines of this room. He needed to do something physical. So writing a note to his parents, Curly went for a jog to help calm himself. At least there will be a freedom in doing this.

XX

 _Send me the pillow that you dream on_

 _So darling I can dream on it too_

 _Send me the pillow that you dream on_

 _Don't you know that I still care for you_

 _Send me the pillow that you dream on_

 _So darling I can dream on it too_

Helga listened to him singing the tune he swore he sung while they were apart. She smiled at him lovingly hoping it was true.

 _Each night while I'm sleeping oh so lonely_

 _I'll share your loving dreams that once were true_

 _Send me the pillow that you dream on_

 _So darling I can dream on it too_

 _I've waited so long for you to write me_

 _But just a memory's all that's left of me_

 _So send me the pillow that you dream on_

 _So darling I can dream on it too_

 _So darling I can dream on it too_

Arnold had no idea what she thought of the song till he felt her hands cup his face, and her lips kiss him. Gently he placed his guitar aside to bring his hands up to return that same loving electric kiss she was sending his way.

XX

Sweat was pouring down the middle of his back now. Curly knew when he reached home he would need a shower. His brow was beaded up. His underarms were hot along with the middle of his chest. He knew he was working overtime to release the tension that continued to reside and fester.

He wished to scream. He wanted to cry, but couldn't even fight like he once did. Now he felt weak because he let one person defeat him. The person he once was so in love with, and now had to stay away from. To him, Rhonda was like the person with rotting teeth continuing to strangle him.

Suddenly he stopped in his jogging as he spotted her waving him down. She was putrid to him now as he took two steps back to turn on his heel to rush away from her. Curly didn't care if he insulted her when her life made it fine to insult anyone lower to her. Still he wasn't expecting her to head him off.

There she was standing in front of him. She was deeply polished still even after she ran after him. Curly, for once, wanted to push her into the water below.

XX

On his bed, Arnold laid on his back as Helga laid on her side while they kissed. Their eyes closed enjoying the moment their privacy provided. Their bodies still molded together so perfectly together. Their tongues deepening in a tantric exercise of kissing alone. Shuddering breaths from both parties as they wrapped together so slowly loving the feeling it provided.

Helga's hand went up his stomach to his chest just to wrap around to his neck. She wanted to wrap her body around him, but still needed to be careful. She loved that he opened his eyes at the same time as her, and their breathing increased when their tongues wrapped around deeply once more.

With his brace removed, Arnold inched his hand up her side slowly to take in each element of her. Of course to feel the gentle rise of her breast had him blushing till their tongues seemed to tighten. Arnold shifted a little without losing any steam in kissing her, and he loved how readily she accepted him as he laid on top of her.

XX

Curly stood there impatiently as Rhonda instantly batted her eyes up to him. "I have to go."

"Not until you agree to go out with me."

Pushing past her, Curly issued out a curt, "No."

"Do you have any idea who I am?" She called out. Watching him stop to turn his head towards her, Rhonda smiled at him innocently.

She was still using the same line. He should just yell out to free the animals. He should just bite the heads off chickens, and do whatever he use to do. Still, as he viewed her, Curly saw her beauty melting away into something far more ugly. "I don't give a shit."

Crude always worked the trick in keeping her quiet as she gaped her mouth open like a hungry Koi. Still as he ran off back towards his home, Curly knew that one day his true identity will be discovered by that evil Harpy.

XX

Breaking apart, Helga straightened herself out as best as possible even as Phil just entered the room without knocking. Telling them that dinner was on, Helga made an excuse to go to the bathroom to make sure things were in order on her.

Phil cackled away as he wandered closer to his grandson. "Oh you should be so lucky that it was me and not your parents."

"Grandpa! We weren't doing anything bad." Arnold informed him as he put his braces on his legs.

"Oh I know. You were just checking one another's dentistry. I get it." Winking at his grandson, Phil left the room just laughing away. "I'm such a wily old coot."

Shaking his head, Arnold quietly made his way out of his room. His grandpa always loved teasing him.

* * *

Brainy moved silently after finding his temporary home invaded from those city workers today. His Deity was now soiled by their eyes. Soiled by even Arnold's eyes. He had to work fast as he hitched his backpack further up. His fingers played against the soft fabric of one of her beanies he took from her room.

Sighing, Brainy decided to move to his new temporary home for the time being.

* * *

 **A/N 2: Song that Curly was singing: Unwell by Matchbox 20**

 **Song that Arnold was singing: Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On by Dean Martin.**


	6. Chapter 6

Helga sat in Curly's living room while he busily recounted his session with, Dr Bliss. She listened without interruption. Observed while he seemed primarily focused on his toes. Helga could kinda figure what the mature woman figured out as well.

"You had one trip out on your own jogging. It felt freeing until you came face to face with the cause of your undoing." Helga sighed heavily as he almost glared at her. "I know I'm not as eloquent as, Dr Bliss. Still you know I'm blunt when I say that you can't hide from her forever."

Standing up, Curly stalked his own living room. "I know that, Helga. Still you remember that day. You remember what happened. How can you act so cordial to her?"

Raising her eyebrow up, Helga shook her head. "Because I lost the need to be petty." Standing up she needed to stop his animalistic need to prowl. "I don't like what she did that day. As it is, she didn't seem so proud of herself. Not that she admits it out loud, but it was written in her face when you were hauled away. No one talked about it as far as I knew and even when I questioned, Arnold recently he assured me they decided not to speak about it."

"So I was swept under the rug." He didn't know what was worse in this moment. "I knew that I wasn't their friend."

Watching him wander away, Helga took his hand. "I want to level with you, Curly. Arnold and Gerald are your friends. They are going to bat for you to keep your identity safe. They feel really bad for not visiting."

Waving his hand at that, Curly than shrugged. "No, I'm good with them." Taking his hand back, Curly went to his room only to come back with an album. "Something that Arnold got me."

Taking the album in her hands, Helga noticed it was a bunch of baby animals in it. Also some rescue animals being nursed back to health and set free. Smiling at each image, Helga choked back a tear. "With a boarding house full of every stray animal in there, of course he'd volunteer his services."

"It's cool. I would love to do this." He traced the animals images with his fingertips lovingly.

"Maybe you can."

* * *

Miles, Stella and Arnold sat across from a very mellow, Mr Sawyer as they explained to him about everything that his daughter has been doing. He didn't ask any questions as he calmly listened. Only once he fiddled with his thumbs when he was told about the part of, Lila slipping into Arnold's bed nude, but other than that, he hardly did anything.

Mr Sawyer turned his head to, Lila who even sat there in a white dress wearing ribbons in her hair. Studying her to see if this was actually true, he finally opened his mouth. "According to my daughter, she has been seeing your son for some time now. You saying she lied about that?"

"Yes, Charles, she has been lying about that." Miles responded to that in a composed way. "In fact, our son has been seeing another girl for some time."

Charles scanned Arnold to see if this was indeed fact. "I heard he broke it off with that girl."

"I'm back with her, Mr Sawyer. Lila is making it up about us." Arnold informed him. "I have never asked Lila to be my girlfriend. I don't wish her to be my girlfriend. I don't want her where I live. I wish she would stop bothering me." His eyes went directly towards Lila. "My girlfriend is Helga. A girl that I'm deeply in love with."

Charles placed his hand over his daughter's hand. "Have you been doing these things that the, Shortmans been saying?"

"Only because Arnold wanted me over. I never ever wanted to disappoint him." Lila answered innocently. "I love him ever so much."

Arnold's mouth opened in shock. "She's lying again. My own parents have witnessed these events first hand. Are you going to believe your daughter over my own parents? They are fully grown adults."

He honestly didn't want to believe these people over his sweet darling daughter, but it was hard when it was three people speaking about such things. Charles seemed to deflate in front of them as he examined his daughter. The wrinkles seemed to deepen as he did this. Grey hairs popped out more amongst the auburn that was already being lost there.

"I deeply apologize for all that you've been through." He began to speak.

Lila perked up. "But daddy!"

Uninterrupted, Charles continued on. "I will have a long conversation with, Lila. I hope that this ends for all of you." His eyes went directly to, Arnold. "Especially to you, Arnold."

"I appreciate it, Mr Sawyer. I wish you the very best." Arnold told him as he stood up to extend his hand out.

Lila watched with trembling lips. Her legs felt shackled by her own father as she watched her beloved and his family walk out of her house. Tears etched their way down as if making patterns with her freckles against her cheeks. She instantly begged her father to understand. She now felt like Juliet being separated from her Romeo.

* * *

Searching around the shallow end of the lake for more species of insects, Nadine spotted Rhonda's latest obsession walking casually in the park. She rolled her eyes at her friend believing that she just had to obtain, Fallow. Sure he was handsome, but it was made obvious by him that he wasn't interested in her.

Still as Nadine decided to glance away at a smaller Monarch Butterfly, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye that had her turn her attention back to him. Suddenly all her insects were forgotten as she found herself now closer to him, and surprising him.

She decided to whisper. "Curly."

"Excuse me?" Fallow stood up after being knocked on his ass by the sudden appearance of the girl before him.

Nadine shook her head. "You can't hide certain ticks, Curly." She continued to whisper. "I swear that I will not tell Rhonda or anyone else if that is what you wish. It is your business why."

For as long as he knew Nadine, Curly understood that the girl couldn't take certain habits of, Rhonda. He also knew she wasn't apt to tell secrets at all. "Fine. Just call me Fallow for now on. Helga, Phoebe, Arnold, Gerald, and Ludwig knows about everything."

"I swear I will call you, Fallow for now on." Nadine swore. "How have you been doing since you've been out?"

Shrugging, Curly looked here and there around the park. "I'm hanging in there. It is better than the asylum. Did you know that I was far more saner than anybody in that place? Well I was. At least I wasn't attacking people on almost a nightly basis."

Holding her hand up to her bottom lip, Nadine felt horror rip through her. "I'm so sorry."

"Now I look at Rhonda and she reminds me of that guy who always did that. Except with better teeth." Curly couldn't lie as he wandered nearer to the water. "Did you find any interesting species today?"

"No. Not yet. Just the same ones." Her tone decidedly almost bored. "That is not to say I won't though."

They fell into silence that wasn't uncomfortable at all. Curly felt as comfortable with her as he did with the others he trusted himself around. Turning to examine her he could see how maturity lent her to be someone who will be mistaken for plain for most of her life. She didn't care for make-up. She just cared for what fascinated her the most. There was still beauty within her from how she wanted to teach others in how important bugs were to human life.

"I think you are better looking that Rhonda." Curly blurted out unashamed of himself. "You always care about others and about them." As an example, he showed her a ladybug that landed on his hand. "That's truly beautiful than just wanting to smother make-up on you that is obviously from dead animals and insects." Smiling at the ladybug taking flight away from him, Curly was unaware of the blush finding its way on, Nadine.

Nadine wanted nothing more than to hide away in the water now. It was such an honest compliment. "Th-Thank you."

Hearing the stammer, Curly smiled at her complete in plain clothes. Her hair slightly frizzy from her activity from today in the water. He could see the mud on her legs, and still he couldn't believe her behavior. "You really are." Turning his head away, Curly thought to be extra honest. "Don't worry, I'm not hitting on you. I'm not ready for any type of relationship. I just find it nice that I'm able to finally say something without her harping around us."

Getting on her knees, Nadine studied his profile. "I really appreciate it. No one likes to say anything to me. I never had a date or haven't been kissed at all."

Curly turned to her surprised. "Peapod was interested in you."

She shrugged. "He lost interest, but that's fine, Fallow."

"His loss." Curly looked across the sparkling water enjoying the serenity. "It is a nice day."

* * *

It never ever stopped with Wolfgang. While Ludwig knew he had to grow and change himself, Wolfgang was stuck being a bully from his grade school days. So as he left the church with his private meeting with his Pastor, Ludwig had to witness him messing with children. Not anyone his own age, which still wasn't right. Just grade school children. Releasing a huff of air grateful that Phoebe wasn't around right now, Ludwig went down to put a stop to this.

Spotting Ludwig, Wolfgang pushed a fourth grader down to the ground. "Well lookie lookie who is coming over here to speak of God to us."

Turning his head to see Ludwig, Edmund began to goofily laugh. "Heh heh. Smite me. Oh smite me."

Placing his hand on his stomach, Wolfgang laughed in return. "Ha! That's actually a good one."

Ignoring them both speaking out of spite, Ludwig stopped just short of them. "When will you ever grow up? Does it ever fill you with joy to pick on little children still?"

"Let me think about that one." Tapping his chin as his eyes screwed up in thought, Wolfgang smiled at him wolfishly. "Why yes it does. Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"One day life shall deal with you in its own way, Wolfgang if you never change your ways. I have at least learned. I just hope you do as well." Ludwig at least stopped continued assault of those kids for now. He just had to hope that Wolfgang learned his lesson one day very soon.

Wolfgang couldn't believe his sanctimonious bullshit right now. "I remember for a time when you were at least cool. What happened to you?"

Ludwig continued to walk away. "I found God."

"Bullshit! You are no better than me, Man! No better." Wolfgang cried out. "One day you'll break and you'll come back and find that my life is better than yours. You hear me?"

Edmund stared between the two large males. "I just think he wants to ignore you, Wolfgang."

"Eh! Let's get out of here."

* * *

Hearing a rapid knocking at the front door, Gerald opened it not expecting to find Rhonda standing there decked out in a cutout red dress. She instantly grabbed him by his shirt collar to drag him inside his own home, and up the stairs. All the while he was asking questions as, Timberly was laughing at his expense.

Tossed into his bedroom with his door slammed shut, Rhonda wandered into his closet to rummage in it. "You are taking me out tonight and I need you to look good." She informed him.

Hands on his hips, Gerald stood there insulted. "What makes you think that I don't already have plans right now?"

"Oh please. You are home on a Saturday while your ex-sweetie is in the arms of another man. I'm taking you out and you'll love it." Rhonda tossed him a royal blue dress shirt and black dress slacks. "Now get dressed."

"Get out and I will."

Cocking her head, Rhonda simply turned her back to him. "I'm sure you have your underwear on so I know you aren't naked. Just put those clothes on."

Having a feeling she wouldn't budge, Gerald started to curse under his breath as he undressed and redressed. "Fine. I'm done."

Turning to face him, Rhonda smiled happily at how well he looked. "Very handsome. I believe girls will be jealous of me. Now put some shoes on and off we go."

Examining him bend over, Rhonda lifted her eyebrow up at how fine of a rear end, Gerald Johannsen has.

* * *

Cursing and knowing he had to climb into the attic to reinstall the light fixture in his bedroom, Bob went to grab the larger step stool before heading upstairs. He cursed about shoddy construction. He absolutely wasn't about to pay an Electrician to come out to do this. He knew he was perfectly capable of doing it.

Opening the door to, Helga's bedroom he almost felt bad about having to do this, but there was no other way to access the attic. Well at least there was, but the other access was far too small for him to get through. So here he was setting the ladder up, and ascending it as he pushed the panel aside. He huffed still in his infuriating anger as he brought his tool box through. Soon he pulled himself up.

Up in an actually large space, Bob was happy to know that it was easy enough to move around. So with his flashlight in hand, along with his toolbox, Bob went to where his bedroom was located. From there the fixture's components were tilted so it was fun to reinstall the wire, and make sure it was screwed in tight.

When done, Bob went back to rest on his knees. "Not bad if I say so myself." He spoke proudly.

Feeling a sharp electric pinch to the back of his neck, Bob passed out.

* * *

This had to be a joke to her. A big fat flipping joke. Gerald spotted Phoebe with Ludwig as they sat side by side enjoying the music that was playing. It was Big Band music like that of Glenn Miller and while he expected Arnold to be in a shindig like this, Gerald wasn't expecting Phoebe here with that large mass.

"You did this on purpose." He whispered almost too violently.

Sitting beside him, Rhonda only held such a tiny smile on her face. She loved listening to this music. "Why no. I did need a date. A handsome one indeed." Turning her head to give him a brief peck on the cheek, Rhonda closed her eyes to enjoy the rhythm. "This just takes you back where everything was just so classy. I mean imagine it. All the men wearing suits all the time. Women all decked out. What romantic times."

"They did know how to class up the joint."

Her hand latched onto his. "Oh they most certainly did."

XX

Giving Ludwig a gentle kiss, Phoebe excused herself to head to the restroom. She was so happy her parents gave her the tickets to this show. Ludwig and her were trying to figure out what to do tonight, and this solved the problem.

Humming along to the music, Phoebe paused when she spotted Gerald with Rhonda. Their foreheads were touching. Their eyes were closed. They were going out again. Finding that it was none of her business, Phoebe went on her way.

XX

Pulling away just when he felt dragged in, Gerald just couldn't do that all over again. The last time she placed him in the poor house dating her.

* * *

Helga went inside of her house. "It's up in my room."

Shutting the door behind him, Arnold glanced around the foyer to notice the change from the last time he was ever here. Last time it was littered with pictures of love to Olga and now it was of both daughters. The space seemed lighter and even brighter.

"Dad!" Helga called out as she was on the stairs. Waiting a few seconds to hear any type of response from her father she thought it was strange. "That's weird. His car is outside and all."

"He might be resting upstairs or in the bathroom." Arnold provided for her as he went up the steps with her.

"Might be. Oh well, he trusts me." Walking up the stairs with Arnold beside her, Helga took the steps one at a time to provide for his braces. "So you both are really doing this, this summer."

"Yeah. Gerald thought about it and said it would be cool to not be stuck in High School forever. He is always thinking of the bottom line. Thinking of the big bucks of the future." Arnold informed her. "In fact, I actually enrolled in some Summer classes. Not many, but some to start off with."

Stopping mid-way, Helga kissed him. "I'm proud of you, Arnoldo. Shoot! You could of done this stuff a long time ago if you wanted to."

"I find it funny how you are being so positive now and not scoffing at me right now."

Shrugging, Helga thought about it. "I grew up, I guess." Seeing her bedroom door open slightly, Helga went through it to find her closet door open. "That's strange."

"What is?"

Spotting the step ladder, Helga stepped closer to it. "My dad must be up there." She told Arnold before shouting up to the attic. "Dad?!" Waiting for a response, Helga grabbed the flashlight she kept in her closet. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Helga, maybe you shouldn't go up there?" Receiving a funny feeling, Arnold suddenly felt that someone else was in this house.

Ignoring that, Helga stepped on that ladder. "My dad might be hurt." Right now that was her priority as she went up to shine her light inside the attic. "Dad?" Finding a large lump laying down further down, she let out a more panicked call. "Dad! Arnold, call 911." Scrambling up into the attic, Helga went to her dad's side.

Lifting up his phone, Arnold swore he heard more sounds above as he reached the operator. "Yes, I'm at Robert Pataki's house. I need an ambulance here. We don't know what happened since his daughter just found him in the attic passed out."

In the attic, Helga shone the light at the back of his head to find taser markings at the back of his neck. Shining her flashlight every wheres around her to make sure she was alone, Helga went back to her dad to roll him carefully on his back. "Come on dad. Wake up."

Relaying the address to the operator, Arnold heard Helga say something prompting him to go over to the attic entrance. "What?"

"Someone attacked him with a taser. He has markings in the back of his neck. I think my dad had a heart attack. I'm giving him CPR. Tell them to get here fast. He has a heart problem!" Helga called out between making compressions with his chest. "Come on dad. Stay with me." She whispered. "Stay with me."

Hearing a siren heading down the street, Arnold yelled that he hears them. So leaving her room he slid down the bannister to open up the door for the paramedics to instruct them where to go.

Up in the attic, Helga tried to maintain her sanity even as she continued to give her father CPR. Hearing someone come up, Helga hoped that he could be saved.

XX

In her AA meeting, Miriam was meeting and greeting so many tonight. It was her night to lead when she received a phone call from her daughter about Bob. Dropping her phone, Miriam picked it up just as fast as she dropped it to tell her she will be down at the hospital right away.

XX

The waiting room with the very discarded newscast playing in the corner of the room. The smells that permeated throughout the place reminding you where you were. The chairs which were none too comfortable as you fought for some semblance of stability with your own ass.

Helga felt shaken to her core still as she thought about those marks on the back of his neck. The coldness of the room was not helping her none as Arnold's arm continued to try to warm her. She nestled against him feeling scared. Feeling hatred for who could of done this. She informed the paramedics about the marks and hoped that they told the doctor.

"Who did this?" She asked in a slightly muffled voice.

"I don't know. I wish I had the answer for you right now to provide for you." Arnold told her as he felt her nuzzle up closer to him.

Hearing the door open, Helga saw her mom rush through towards her. "Oh Sweetie!" In a whirlwind, Miriam got on her knees in front of her to bring her in her arms. "Have you heard anything?"

"Not yet." Helga murmured. "Someone attacked him. Please tell me you didn't go home."

Miriam refused to show any alarm in front of the teenagers at that news. "No I didn't." Pulling back to touch her daughter's face, she smiled as best as she could. "I called Olga and told her to meet us here."

Nodding her head, Helga hoped that Olga wouldn't try to change her mind by nesting at home. "Make sure she listens. You know how often she doesn't."

"I know." Hearing the doors open up again, Miriam spotted two familiar faces stepping through. "Hello."

Miles and Stella greeted Miriam in kind while extending some well wishes to her. Stella kissed her son the temple before sitting down. "Well your husband is still in surgery. To my understanding there is no complications at this time so that is a good sign. I couldn't go in there, but they did relay what they could do for me." Stella told Miriam.

Miles sighed. "I went to your home due to your husband being attacked and there seemed to be someone that was up there in the attic with him." Miriam gasped at the information. "Doesn't seem like nothing has been tampered with."

Shaking visibly, Miriam took her daughter's hand. "Perhaps we should stay in a hotel till we get some security for the house."

At that, Miles suggested something. "You may stay at the boarding house if you may like. We don't have a lot of space, but you are welcome to stay there. Currently we are cleaning up a room for you to stay in. I assume your oldest daughter will be here."

Helga groaned. "Olga will take over the boarding house." She changed her frown into a small smile.

"That's fine. That room is just big enough for two people so someone will need to stay with Arnold." Miles looked to Helga. "I trust nothing will go between you both."

Holding up both their hands, both Arnold and Helga swore they wouldn't do a thing. Who could with their minds wrapped up in this bit of misery?

"The family of Robert Pataki?"

Both popping to their feet quickly, Miriam and Helga stood side by side as a doctor came to address them both. Helga held her mom's hand in support as she listened to him candidly about the surgery. The taser did trigger the heart attack and while he did have a successful surgery, the doctor won't know when he'll come to since he was out for some time.

XX

Helga laid there beside Arnold in his bed. Olga instantly went to lay against Miriam when they retired in their own room. To hear that your own dad might be in a coma due to some prick had Helga feeling ill at ease.

"I feel strange." She knew Arnold wasn't asleep.

His hand brushed against her face to try to comfort her. "I know."

"I remember how I couldn't stand him because of how he was always, Olga this and Olga that. How he never could say my name right. How he never wanted to have anything to do with me and now he wants to have everything to do with me." A tear escaped finally from her eyes. It was something she held back. "I'm afraid, Arnold."

Spotting the tear in the dark, Arnold kissed it. "I know. I'm praying that he'll pull through. You know he is strong."

Helga sighed. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"No. Please don't ask that again." Brushing his hand against her soft hair, Arnold touched his nose with hers. "We can set up cameras in your place. Security cameras. Of course not in the bedrooms or bathrooms."

"Oh I thought you wanted to be a pervert by wanting to do that in my room." She snickered slightly grateful for a bit of levity.

"Nope. That is a one day occurrence in person if you wish it. I never want to just happen to stumble upon you naked."

Moving to kiss his nose, Helga moved back to touch her nose against him again. "You know that I would love to have my first time with you." She admitted. "Right now I just want my dad well and to catch this bastard."

"I hear you." Kissing her, Arnold felt her move her head down to his chest. He hoped that he can protect her.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks for the great reviews. :) Yay. :)**

* * *

Closing her book, Helga looked at her dad's face. Frowning, she stood up to take a break. She left his room to wander down the hallway to catch other families speaking to their loved ones. There they were talking back from their beds. While she didn't know their prognosis, she still envied them for having their own loved one awake and speaking to them.

"Baby sis?"

Helga wasn't aware that Olga was in front of her. She was solely focused on everyone else around that she didn't see her. "Hey. Uh, I am taking a break from reading Pride and Prejudice. Dad really likes that book."

Smiling at that newfound information, Olga knew he loved a certain soap opera, and was into some sappy romantic flicks. "They say that's really good, right?"

"Yeah. It shows in studies and all."

Taking her sister's hand, Olga guided her to the nearest row of chairs. "What is also bugging you?"

Placing her hand to her forehead, Helga looked at her. "Nothing was taken from the house. Nothing was suspicious found in the house, but dad was tasered. Dad is not this big time jerk like he was before." Spotting Olga's unhappy expression there, Helga rolled her eyes. "Trust me, he was to many of his customers and other people before."

Waving her hand in front of her, Olga had to correct herself. "No I wasn't thinking that. I know what you mean. I want to know who did this too, but now I'm afraid of having you and mummy in the house alone."

"We can't run and hide. This is our house. To do that has him winning against us." Helga informed her.

"True, but I hate knowing it happened there." Olga pointed out.

"That stuff can always happen in Alaska." Helga countered back evenly.

Olga's shoulders sagged knowing that Helga will continue to try to one up her. "Yes. I did have a moose try to taser me with his antlers. It was quite odd."

Smiling at her joke, Helga glanced over to her phone just as it showed Lila's name on the screen. "You still speak to her?"

Hearing the hatred there, Olga patted her hand. "I do listen to what you told me. She has been stalking Arnold non-stop." Pressing ignore on her phone, she hated doing that. "She kept telling me that you stole him from her. She really believed that she had this relationship with him."

"How long has she been telling you this?"

"Too long now." Olga felt aged. "I knew it was a lie even then." Placing a smile back on her face to gaze at Helga, she felt a little better. "I remember when I saw Arnold a long time ago. He was so in love with you. I can still see how much that hasn't changed."

Embarrassed, Helga stood up. "I'm going to get something to eat. You want anything?"

"No thank you, Baby sis. I already had something. I'll go in there and speak to daddy."

Walking to the elevators, Helga yawned just as the doors opened up just in time for her to rush in. Resting her back against the wall, she waited to get to the ground floor. Hearing the chime ring, Helga left as soon as the doors opened up just for another surprise.

"Helga."

Stopping short, Helga placed her hand to her chest. "Oh man! We nearly missed one another." Smelling greasy goodness, she looked all around her till she spotted what was in Arnold's hand. "Oh please tell me that's for me."

"It's for you." Feeling the bag grabbed out of his hands, Arnold snickered at her enthusiasm. "Do you wanna eat outside?"

"Yes. Oh god yes." She moaned out while she grabbed his hand to drag him outside.

XX

Phoebe stared up at Helga's house almost in denial of what occurred there. Her pulse seemed to drop. Her skin seemed to get more clammy as her eyes drifted closer towards where the attic laid. A chill greeted her just as her eyes halted to where she needed to be. Phoebe wanted to find the culprit too. She wanted to help out Helga.

Gerald came closer cautiously afraid to frighten her as she stared at the large home. "Have you been inside?"

"No. Somehow I don't want to." Her eyes now focused on someone living. Someone animated.

"I can understand that." Hands in his pocket, Gerald shifted on his legs. "Have you been to the hospital?"

She nodded. "Yes. He is still out of it. Who could of done this?"

Wishing to provide this answer for her, Gerald spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. Movement that caused him to finally dash forward. It was time to catch him without having students in his way. Hearing Phoebe behind him, Gerald continued to run as he jumped a fence knowing he was gaining ground on his opponent. "Oh no you don't." He growled as he tackled him to the ground.

Phoebe caught up to Gerald as he stayed above, Brainy. Spotting something that tumbled away from Brainy she rushed up to it to grab it with a handkerchief. "Gerald, this is a taser." She raised it up in the air.

Standing up and dragging Brainy up with him, Gerald pushed him against the wall of a neighbors garage. "Alright. Did you taser, Big Bob?" Hearing no answer from Brainy, Gerald heard the sound of crackling in the air.

Stepping closer, Phoebe held the taser close to Brainy. "Answer the question. Did you attack, Mr Pataki?"

Brainy eyed them both as he continued to push against, Gerald. He wheezed even as he heard his small booklet fall down to the ground. He struggled more hoping they didn't notice it just so he can buy himself more time.

"Answer the lady, Brainy. Did you attack him?" Gerald hissed out angry at his uncooperative attitude.

"HEY YOU KIDS! GET OUT OF MY YARD!"

At the distraction of the neighbor, Brainy kicked Gerald in the knee before grabbing his booklet before rushing off. He could always get another weapon, but he couldn't replace his precious booklet.

Crouching down to Gerald, Phoebe placed her hand out to the man who came out. "We apologize to you sir, but that kid you saw us with attacked Robert Pataki. We didn't mean to trespass here."

Getting closer to them, the male placed his hands on his hips. "Well from where I was standing you both were threatening him. So you both get out of here if you know what's good for you."

Nodding her head, Phoebe put Gerald's arm around her shoulder to help him out of there. "We'll get him, but for now we have his taser."

Sucking some air through his teeth, Gerald felt his bone burning up. "Damn he got me pretty good. Should we tell the cops about this?"

She held up the taser with her free hand. "I don't know. We could try. Still we should put ice on you first."

XX

Wandering back into the hospital room, Helga felt almost pregnant from the double cheeseburger that Arnold brought her. Slipping into her seat with Arnold beside her, they both listened to Miriam speak to Bob. Hearing a slight moan her attention went to her dad's eyes to find him squeezing them tight while she tightened up her body in wait to see if this was the moment he'll awake.

"Nunnh. Wh-Wh-Whoe-Whoever st-st-stung me." Bob smacked his lips as his eyes still remained closed. "I'll kill."

"Bob!"

Dad!" Both Helga and Olga called out.

Opening his eyes, Bob saw that he was no longer in the musty attic any longer but in a sterile bright hospital room. There was his wife, and his two daughters surrounding him. Off to the side was Arnold as he went to the door obviously to call someone. "Oh good. I'm with you." He felt relieved not to feel so much in the dark anymore.

Feeling Arnold beside her again, Helga smiled at him as her other hand went in his. "I knew you'd kick ass and come back." She told her dad.

Bob smiled weakly at Helga. "Well you know me."

Coming in, the doctor went through with looking him over before asking him questions. Going through what happened in surgery he ended it by saying something. "You should thank your youngest daughter here. If it wasn't for her finding you in time, you would of been a goner for sure. It is a very useful thing to know CPR."

Helga waved it off. "Nah. My dad is too stubborn to go anywheres. It is all him."

Still as she thought about it all in retrospect, her dad was pretty lucky in hindsight.

XX

Phoebe had to fight the blush from forming on her face at seeing Gerald's exposed leg while he pressed ice against his leg. She was happy her parents were gone for the day so they wouldn't see a teenage boy sitting in the kitchen with just his boxers and t-shirt on. Still as legs went, Phoebe wasn't complaining.

"How is it feeling now?" She inquired as she measured the gap between the tongs on the taser.

He was actually enjoying the numbing coolness of the ice against his skin. "Truthfully? I can keep this ice on me longer. It feels good."

"May I see?"

Lifting the ice so she can take a look, Phoebe nodded her head at it. "The bump is down now." Pointing to the taser, he asked, "So do you really think that is it?"

"It is standard and it is a cheaper model. Helga will beat him up once she gets a hold of Brainy." Hearing her phone go off, Phoebe lifted it up. "Hello, Helga. Oh he's awake? That's wonderful to hear!" Listening to her, Phoebe's eyes directed to Gerald who was signaling that she should tell her. "Are you alone? Oh you are with Arnold right now. Well I'm at my house so do you mind coming over because I have something to talk to you about." Hanging up, Phoebe leaned back. "She had enough stress."

Getting up, Gerald grabbed his pants to slip on. "I know, but she should know about this. Since Arnold is with her, he'll help calm her down. It'll be fine. Right now Big Bob is out of the woods."

Feeling his cold hand on hers, Phoebe smiled up at him. "I'm glad you were with me today."

Sitting down beside her, Gerald moved a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey don't think I didn't see you do some smooth moves behind me in that yard."

Giggling, Phoebe moved closer to him just to hear the sound of Helga's car rumbling down the street. "She's here."

"That is some engine."

Getting up to open the door up for her friend, Gerald was left in the kitchen to contemplate the almost thing that he almost was tempted into doing just now with her.

XX

"Was he literally coming out of my house, Gerald?" Helga asked again. If not very slowly as she pounded her finger against the table top.

"Yes. With my own two eyes I spotted him coming out of your house." Gerald confirmed again. He wasn't insulted she asked this question again seeing how tired she appeared.

She stood up. "I'm going to kill him." Getting up, Helga instantly left the house.

"Helga!" Arnold cursed himself. "Gerald your faster than me."

Standing up, Gerald ran off after her only to hear her car cutting out of there. "No that girl is faster than both of us put together. I'll go to her house. I'll call you."

Hearing the door open and close, Phoebe put her hands on Arnold. "Arnold?"

Standing up, Arnold was still determined. "I'm still walking to her house."

XX

Opening and slamming her door closed, Helga opened her front door up. "BRAINY!" Rushing up her stairs she got on her computer to log into the security system to double check to find what Gerald said was true. He was once in there. "I know you are in here, Brainy. What do you want?" He was clever enough to avoid the cameras a second time.

"Helga!" Gerald's voice called out from the bottom of the stairs.

She groaned out. "Upstairs." Hearing the sounds of his footsteps coming up, Helga felt tired as her head just drifted down to her desktop.

Reaching her room, Gerald felt her fatigue from where he stood. "Helga, maybe we take you to Arnold's so you can sleep."

Lifting her head up, Helga stood up slowly in a listless state. "Why is this happening?"

Gerald saw how she was about to stumble prompting him to step forward to steady her. "I don' t know. He stalked you for years. He probably saw something in you that makes him do crazy things."

"But for him to attack my own dad?"

"We'll have to ask him when we see him again and make sure he answers." Arnold's voice said softly as he entered the room to hold her in his arms.

"He was in my house. I have to tell the police." Helga said as she pointed to her computer screen.

Glancing at the video feeds, Phoebe went through it all since it had been set up. "There is outside coverage where Gerald and I were chasing him."

She lifted her phone up to her ear where she thought of the Detective. "This is Helga Pataki. I'm Robert Pataki's daughter. I have a possible suspect you may be interested in. My friends confiscated his taser from him after he ran away from my house. There is even a video feed of him leaving my house."

That night after the report was filed, but no Brainy was found, Helga decided to lay down beside Arnold as she rested the whole night through. Exhaustion weighed such a heavy hand to such a stressful time with her father in the hospital.

* * *

Monday at school was the usual heyday it seemed even as Arnold kissed Helga good bye before their first class. Sid was doing his own usual rushing after another blonde down the hallway since, Helga was off the market again.

"Morning Gloria. Can I carry your books?" He offered the pink clad beauty.

Smiling at him, Gloria gave him her books as she asked him about his weekend. "When we get to class, I want to give you some cookies that I made, Sid."

"Oh that will be great." After he helped her to class and deposited her books, Sid watched as she bent down to her book bag to get them. As she did, Sid couldn't help admire how she grew. While certainly attractive, Gloria was a lot more skinnier than Helga is.

Straightening up, Gloria opened up the tin to give him his pick. "I hope you love oatmeal raisin. They are my grandmother's recipe."

Hating oatmeal cookies, but accepting them in hopes of a date with her, Sid smiled. "Mmm I can't wait to eat them. Thank you, Gloria."

"Well that isn't no problem for a cutie like yourself." Smiling at him, Gloria placed her tin away.

Feeling he just received an in, Sid opened up his mouth to speak.

XX

"No." Curly answered in a bored tone wishing he could locate his friends so he can give Helga a bear hug for all the crap she's been through.

Rhonda jumped in front of him to hold the tickets in front of him. "You are going out with me and that is final."

Smirking at her as he took the tickets in his hand, Curly inspected them. "Oh these are front row."

"The best seats." She said with pride.

"Yeah." Seeing a popular jock coming towards him, Curly asked him. "Do you want to go to a concert with a hot chick? Well I hope you do because she's buying." Handing him the tickets, Curly walked off.

Snatching the tickets back from the jock, Rhonda went off in pursuit of Fallow. "You want me."

"No I don't and I find it pathetic that you are chasing after a guy who isn't interested." Turning around to face her, Curly gave her a brief once over. "Let me tell you in a language that you will surely understand. It is like mixing flannel with silk. You get the picture."

Disgusted by that match up, Rhonda had to maybe think that he was right. Maybe they weren't a perfect match.

XX

Standing up, Helga asked for the hall pass. Leaving her classroom, she ended up going to the bathroom to hide in the stall. Covering the toilet seat up with paper, she sat down, and found herself crying. It was such a maddening twenty-four hours, and she had only one person to blame.

"Helga?" Phoebe's tiny voice asked cautiously.

Of course Phoebe had to know her this well. "What?"

"Please open the door." She requested kindly.

Sniffling, Helga slid the latch open to allow her to come in with a hidden pack of kleenex from her purse. Oh her ever prepared, Phoebe. "Thanks."

"Sure." Leaning against the side, Phoebe placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I know that Arnold knew I was slipping up. I mean I'm sure he was expecting me to cut loose like Niagara, but I just fell asleep in his arms last night. I was trying to keep myself together for my mom and Olga. I hate the fact that my own dad got attacked because of Brainy. Can't he just go back home where his family actually misses him?" Helga got up to begin pacing.

"Do you want to talk to Dr Bliss about this?"

"No. Yes. Maybe." Her arms went up in the air, Helga than made them flop back down. "I don't know right now. Just-Just give me some time."

Understanding that she just went through something traumatic, Phoebe stepped forward to stretch her arms out in a universal gesture.

Seeing that gesture, Helga stepped into them. "Yeah I can use these right now."

"I know and I'm glad I'm here for you."

Smiling down at her tiny friend, Helga confessed. "You always have been."

* * *

He was wheezing while he ran. They located him heading back to her house and now he had to leave once more. He didn't want to get caught. He didn't want to end up going back to his family. They separated him from his Deity.

His lungs burned more and his nose was following suit. He wasn't made for this type of activity. He use to play sports just to be near her, but now he found himself collapsing onto the hard asphalt. Their rushed footsteps were still closing in and he spotted a nearby sidewalk grate leading below.

He rolled with all his might towards it and with his slim size, Brainy was in, and down below. Now he can hide anywheres down there. Let them locate him again. This time he had to be more careful.

This time, he couldn't get greedy.

* * *

It was so hard to eat right now when all you can feel is the emotions of the one you love so profoundly. Arnold knew that Helga was boiling to the surface. He saw how badly she wanted to release last night only to fall asleep instead. Sleep was still good for her to do. She definitely needed it.

 **H: Now it sucks that we don't share the same lunch.**

Arnold smiled at the incoming text.

 **A: I know. I'd hold you during lunch.**

 **H: Sounds nice. I also wouldn't mind another hamburger.**

 **A: You had one yesterday.**

 **H: What can I say? The girl loves her beef.**

Chuckling at that, Arnold continued to text her.

 **A: This guy loves you.**

 **H: I already told you that I love my beef. ;)**

Getting that double meaning, Arnold adjusted himself.

 **A: People will think that we are doing something if they read our messages.**

 **H: Well we're not.**

There was a pause in the texting.

 **H: Well at least not yet.**

 **A: Need a sponge bath?**

 **H: Yes.**

Arnold nearly fell off his chair with that response. He was sure she was distracting herself for the time being, but thoughts of sudsing her up went through his mind.

XX

Catching up to Arnold, Helga threw her arms around him. Her body relaxed instantly against him as they held one another. She didn't want to move whatsoever even though she knew she had to. "I told my family that I'll be at the hospital at six with food, but first I'll need to do some homework."

"Need help preparing the food?"

Pulling back, Helga responded with a cheesy smile. "Yes, but while I already did my homework during class time. I'm hoping for something unless you have homework."

"I done my homework already too. What did you want to do?"

Blushing, Helga moved away from him. "Just get in the car."

Laughing at her nervous tone of voice, Arnold thought she was so cute as he got into the passengers side. "What about Phoebe?"

"She's getting a ride with Ludwig today." Sliding into her vehicle, she instantly started it up.

Arnold fell silent even as he thought of his best friend. "How does she really feel about him?"

Shrugging as she drove along, Helga had a quiet response to his question. "She isn't in love with him." Turning the corner, her eyes went to him for the barest of seconds. "You hoping she still ends up with Gerald."

"Well he does. He thought something was about to happen on Sunday. That's all." Arnold didn't want to guess anything else as they continued to drive along. "Never mind. If it happens. It will happen."

"Yeah. We shouldn't get too involved. Once she ends up in college she'll be pretty busy with that." Turning onto the main drag, Helga headed towards her house while handing him her phone. "Do you mind pulling up that security app for my house. You know just to double check it." Giving him the password, Helga waited for him to say anything to her.

Loving the fact that she trusted him with the password, Arnold sifted through the footage that was past and current to find nothing unusual. "Nothing. No one has stepped foot in your house."

"Good."

"You'll still check once you get there."

Taking a shallow breath, Helga nodded her head. "Yeah. I know I'm being paranoid but I'm not taking chances right now."

XX

Elizabeth watched her son rub his temples for what seemed liked the thousandth time since she had been home. She remembered what his doctor told them that he will need a lot time adjusting to any environment after where he was. She heard what her own son told them, and she hated herself for placing him there.

"Did I endanger you by placing you in there?" She finally spoke up nervously.

Curly popped his head up. His hands stopped rubbing his temples. His eyes removed the fuzziness he was subjected to for the past hour after he got home. "No. You didn't know what was in there." His voice so small to himself. Was he lying for her sake or his? Or was he telling her the truth? Right now he felt strangely disjointed.

She wrung her hands. "You could always tell me when it all comes clear. I can tell myself that you have no clue right now."

"How?"

She cleared her throat as she straightened up her skirt. "Because I was in a place like that when I was fourteen. The place I was in was in a different state. Now it is closed up due to the controversy that surrounded it."

He noticed how haunted her voice sounded now. "What happened mom?"

"I was punished for something I didn't want to do. I didn't want to take my medications. They made me see things. So the Orderlies threw me into the mens wing." She looked away from her son. "At first nothing happened. First they acted nice." Lifting up her hair she revealed a mark. "They put me on that table to shock me. The inmates. When I came to."

Standing up, Curly wandered over to his mom to hold her. "Does dad know?"

She nodded her head. "Yes. My parents sent me away because they thought I was Satan. This is why I don't talk to them anymore. This is why I only spoke to my grandparents. They pulled me out of there once they found out where I was."

"I don't hate that you guys did that. I did need help honestly. I just hate how I ended up having to break down to end up there."

Elizabeth pulled away from her son remembering the broken photographs of one girl. "Yes I heard she is the one responsible for that. Does she know it is you yet?"

"No, but it is only a matter of time. I just know that I have some friends that are supportive of me."

Placing a hand under his chin, Elizabeth kissed his nose. "Than that is usually all you need."

* * *

 _Bob back in his attic. The dustiness pervading his nose as he moved along to his destination. There was a slight lump towards the side, but it was ignored for the most part. It might of been something that one of the girls placed up there for the time being. So there he was moving along._

 _His fingers fixed the electrical. He felt this satisfaction. The lump had moved, but lumps don't move nor sting you. This one did._

Bob woke up to Helga wandering into his room with Arnold by her side. She brought dinner. Now there was a restriction to his diet again that he must adhered to. Still he remembered that Helga told him who it was that did this to him.

"I remember that there was somebody else in the attic with me, but I thought it was just some lump." Bob told them in his deep voice. "I hope they caught him."

Helga came closer to him. "They didn't but they are still keeping a watchful eye out for him. So far he hasn't been back in the house."

"That's good." His eyes went to her. "Maybe you should stay with your boyfriend's family until he his caught. I'd feel better if you do."

Shaking her head, Helga wanted to, but there was mom. "I won't leave mom alone."

"I'll be here, baby sis." Olga assured her.

"Your job, Olga. You teach kids with special needs. You know how important it is to keep up with their studies." Helga pointed out.

She sighed knowing how that was. "True, but I can afford a few more days here."

Arnold spoke up. "Mrs Pataki can still stay at the boarding house if you are also concerned about her safety."

Bob smiled at him. "That is also a fine idea. I just don't want anything to happen to them."

Miriam shook her head. "Bob, you'll be home soon. A nurse will be hired till you are fully on your feet. I mean you can still conduct business from home. It'll be fine. I'll stay at the boarding house and Arnold's mom is helping me with the nurse. It'll be great."

Leave it to her mom to act all sunshiney about this whole thing. "I'll come home than." Helga smirked at the food being passed around. "By the way, that is eggplant parmesan. So enjoy."

Arnold almost snickered at the way his girlfriend winked. Even she can wink in the most sarcastic of ways.

"Will I every enjoy ribs again?" Bob complained as he cut into the dish.

"You will, but I will find ways of cutting the fat out of that too." Helga answered as she took a bite out of her food. While not a vegan, Helga wasn't complaining about the dish her and Arnold made. It wasn't half bad.

Taking a bite of it himself, Bob swallowed. "Hmm. Not bad."

Winking at Arnold in a more loving way it was her way of her silently thanking him for his help.

* * *

 **A/N 2: The last part in italics was Bob remembering what happened to him that day. Part dream/Part memory.**

 **Also thought to share a moment between Curly's mom and himself however sad it was. :/ I grew up in this town where they actually had a place like this. It was on the next street over from where I grew up. The things you witnessed from the people who escaped from there or the things the nurses had come across made you feel sorry for people like, Curly or his mom who were placed there. People who just didn't belong. Eventually they moved that place away elsewhere, but that memory remained.**


	8. Chapter 8

Nadine glanced out of the corner of her eye subconsciously biting her lip. Never in her life had she viewed him this way, but she couldn't help herself. Her daily talks with him on the phone felt so refreshing. When his eyes went up to glance her way, Nadine looked away hoping not to be caught. Still it didn't help that Rhonda was next to her applying more make-up on her.

"I should hate him but by god he is still so gorgeous." Rhonda was saying as her eyes caught Fallow's passing reflection in her mirror. "He'll be mines. No man will not resist me for long."

Nadine frowned as her shoulders silently sagged. "I'm going to head off to the restroom. I'll see you in class." Moving away she practically sludged herself down the corridor not really needing the restroom, but just to seek solace from her friend. A friend she loved, but felt trapped by. Feeling a gentle hand wrap itself around her wrist to bring her into a classroom, Nadine was wrapped up in a hug by Curly.

"Don't let her get to you." Curly whispered in her ear.

Her knees weakened even as her arms wrapped around him. "Someone might of seen you pull me in here."

"Oh me pulling a pretty girl into a empty classroom. What will the world say to that?" Curly joked as he pulled away from her.

Almost biting her own cheek, Nadine still felt tingly from his touch. "They would say plenty. You do know this."

"Eh." Shrugging, Curly wasn't about to get fully into all of that as he brushed some hair back from his face.

She diverted her attention from him once more. She honestly couldn't feel something for him. He just got out of that facility and needed time to heal. Also he surely still had feelings for Rhonda while Rhonda had some feelings for him. Though her feelings for him were far more superficial at this point. Also while he may call her attractive, Curly would never consider being with a girl like her. No guy ever truly would.

Curly saw the frown meeting her face once more making him place his hand on her arm. "Nadine?" To watch her jump and scatter to the wall was not a reaction he was expecting from a calm person such as herself. "What happened?"

She felt ashamed of herself. She couldn't tell him how she felt. "I'm sorry. I'm just so tired and I should get to class since the bell will ring soon. Thanks for that hug."

Hearing her rushed out voice and double checking the time, Curly heard the lie as he watched her scramble out of there.

Nadine left the classroom and thought to rush off to find a safe and sane source. She needed to talk to someone other than Rhonda and saw Helga about to wander into class. Rushing towards her she grabbed her hand. "I really need to talk to you. Also how is your dad?"

Blinking at her, Helga answered. "He's fine. He'll be home tomorrow. What's up?"

"That's fantastic news." Grinning there, Nadine scanned the hallways. "I need to talk to you in private about someone. May I if it is no problem?"

Nodding her head, Helga told her to call her up so they can meet later on. Heading inside class, Helga looked to Phoebe. "That is really strange for her."

"It is." Phoebe agreed.

* * *

Traversing underground was such a nasty business. Too many dirty city dumpings below that his eyes continued to land on. The countless homeless that often called this place home. His nose and mouth was often covered up with a large scarf he took. A scarf that reminded him of her. Her scent had long disappeared from the time he lived down here.

"Don't a young fellow like yourself have a family to go to?"

It was just one of the many bums he became familiar with. If had at least some extra helpings, he often gave him some. He shook his head before he continued on with his trek. They thought of him as mute. As he wandered off he heard another speak to him. This one held more of a grungy female voice.

"Dun he all speak or 'nything?" She wondered as she spit something out of her mouth. It was most likely another tooth.

"I don't know. Maybe he just doesn't have anything to say." Came the first one.

"Darn cryin' shame if yern askin' me." She complained.

They didn't know. That was fine. He just stayed here to remain closest to his Deity.

* * *

Perking up when Arnold walked through the large double doors, Lila straightened out her dress as she waved to him when he passed by. Leaving the large desk, she decided to make herself helpful to her love even as he went to look through the History aisle.

"Greetings, Arnold. How may I help you?" Lila inquired as she neared him.

Sighing, Arnold got the book that he knew was there. "I just need to check this one out."

"Oh?" Grabbing the book while wrapping her arm around his, Lila blinked up at him. "Oh you are ever so smart, Arnold. I'm hoping you could help tutor me after school since I need help in this subject."

Taking his arm back from her, Arnold grabbed the book as well. "No thanks. I'm busy doing a lot of other things."

"Well I could make you a nice hot meal and bring it to you. We could have a picnic. Make it a date." She suggested as she followed after him.

Releasing a huff of breath, Arnold turned around to face her. "Look, Lila, get it through your head. I'm not interested. How many more times do I have to say this? I'm sounding like a broken record here. I feel very harassed by you as it is."

Hearing the magic word, the Librarian headed over to both the student and her helper. "Is there a problem here?"

Blinking, Lila shook her head. "Not a problem. I was just trying to help him out."

Arnold just couldn't lie. "There is a problem. When I told her I needed to check out the book she wrapped her arm around my arm. Asked me out on a date. It is bad enough she has harassed me at home and here. We have already had a private meeting with her father. Now may I please check this out without any further issues?" He asked the Librarian.

"Yes we may. Ms Sawyer, please go to my office." She instructed. Wandering back over to the large desk, she took Arnold's student i.d, and went about logging it in. "I am really sorry about that. I do not tolerate that type of behavior."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. She also started to harass my girlfriend too."

Shaking her head the Librarian handed him the book. "Here you are. The due date is marked inside. Have a good day."

"Have a good day yourself." Smiling at her, Arnold wished her luck.

Waiting for him to fully leave she went into her office to speak to, Lila. The girl that was assigned as someone temporary. A girl that acted so polite, but even she felt uncomfortable around. There was something wrong with her. Was it the way she looked upon you like one of those old antique dolls? Or did she have the personality of an ear of corn? She couldn't place a finger on it as she sat down across from her to hammer out the details of policy. All the while, Lila didn't react. She just blinked and smiled at her telling how ever so wonderful it was.

That disturbed her greatly.

* * *

It was after school and Helga had Nadine come to her house. Bringing her upstairs, Nadine glanced over at Arnold working on the computer nervously.

"Perhaps we should talk downstairs." Nadine whispered to Helga.

Opening her mouth to speak, Helga went down to answer the door again. "Well you might as well come up." Turning back around, Helga ascended the stairs just to end back in her room with a spectral Nadine now. "Why are you as white as a ghost?"

"Um well I can't exactly say that now." Nadine stammered out.

Curly grinned. "Nadine, remember that they already know about me."

"Oh I know. It is just that I need to speak to her in private." Rushing forward she grabbed Helga's arm. "So we need privacy."

Feeling her arm pulled out of her socket, Helga felt propelled down her own staircase, and down the hallway till she finally snatched her arm away. "Sheesh! Where's the fire?"

Nadine seemed to unknowingly sought out the hidden scowl of Helga's. A scowl that she hardly seen in sometime. "I apologize for that. I really do. I just have been talking to Curly for some time now since I made the discovery."

Rubbing her elbow, Helga nodded her head almost absentmindedly. "And you have a thing for him. Well duh."

Nadine gaped at her. She seriously slack jawed gaped at her. "How did you figure it out?"

"The same look I use to give Arnold on the sly before I ever told him how I felt." Helga told her casually with a smirk. "You kinda look like all the other girls in the hallway eyeing him as he is walking down the corridor. At least you are the only one with genuine feelings."

Feeling weakened she leaned against the wall. "I know he just got out. I know he can't get involved with anyone."

"No he can't. He needs to be a little more stable till he can." Helga heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "At least your crush on him is far more healthier than Princess. She is in it for sport. You are in it for your heart and your head. That is healthier."

Rounding the corner, Curly spotted both the blondes in varying shades down the way. "What's going on?" His apt eye seeming already to catch on.

"Nothing." Helga answered as she viewed her adoptive brother. "I'm going to head upstairs for a bit. You both get comfortable down here."

Moving ahead where Helga vacated, Curly could see how nervous Nadine still was. "Tell me the truth, Nadine." His voice was so gentle in its urging.

"I like you a lot and I understand that you can't do anything. I also understand if you don't feel the same. It isn't your fault or maybe it is since I think you are so clever, smart, caring, fun, and have this love of the environment. Yes you are handsome, but it is your heart that makes up for the largest part of that." Nadine glanced down.

Curly smiled at how sweet her compliment was. "I wish I never wasted my time with her to view what was more important next to her."

Her green eyes went up to meet his hazel ones. "Yes, well she is far more beautiful than me."

XX

Hanging up, Helga sighed. "Miriam hired a nurse at your mom's recommendation. Here comes some tasteless food."

Arnold smirked. "Better hope you don't get any powder scrambled eggs. Just like the hospital provides."

"Mmmm nom." Sticking her tongue out, Helga approached him to find that he was already done with his work. "Yeah and you weren't even distracted."

"No. Gerald texted me telling me that he is done too. Now he is on to science." Pointing out that he was already done, Arnold turned his chair around to kiss her. "I deserved a treat."

Smiling at him, Helga wanted more, but there were people still here. "We have Curly and Nadine still here."

"Did you have any other plans right now?"

"Yeah." Moving to her door, Helga winked at him. "A sponge bath."

XX

"I need to be off to do my homework and also to help my mom make dinner." Nadine didn't really want to hear anything more to what he wanted to add to what he was about to say. She just wanted to save face.

Curly wanted to finish his thought process. "I love that you know what is truly important in life and I respect that. In fact, I wish I was far more stable right now so I can take you out."

Her heart seized at hearing that. "What?"

"I feel like I'm leading you on saying that, but it is true. I'm not stopping you if someone else asks you out. I want you happy. Right now I can just offer my friendship to you and nothing more." Curly told her honestly.

She believed him as she moved to hug him. "Well I should go still. Thank you."

"I will walk you part ways." He offered as he walked her to the door. Spotting Helga he waved at her. "Later."

"Later." Helga told them both. Descending the staircase she locked the door before running upstairs to her bedroom. "Sponge bath?"

Getting up, Arnold was fully into wanting to do that for her.

* * *

Lips collided.

Bodies pulled flushed together.

Her dress was lifted up simply due to the fact she was laying on her back, and her legs were spread now.

Her mind flooded wondering how this happened.

How this could of happened?

Her blue eyes went to his brown ones.

Their tongues met.

More than that met as his hips grinded against hers.

It hurt.

It felt good for a while. Her body liked it.

Her mind hated how her body betrayed her, but her mind betrayed her too at moments.

A teardrop fell and met to the back cushion of his vehicle's seat.

* * *

Helga nuzzled against Arnold even as the checked out library book was at the end of her bed. They didn't make love, and she didn't feel at all sinful at what they did in the bathroom. He massaged her. He washed her. He massaged her again. She knew he looked at her when she didn't look at him. Helga didn't mind. She trusted him there. This was the only guy she wanted to look at her in that way.

"You like what you saw?" She teased.

He nuzzled the side of her neck with his nose. "I learned the fine art of not looking at ones goodies."

"You are a horrible liar." She almost wanted to hit him as she laid back on her bed. "I'm fine if you looked."

"Fine." He lowered himself just to kiss the hollow of her neck. "I looked and you are perfect." He purred.

Lifting his shirt, Helga had to give him a hint. "What is only fair."

Getting up, Arnold did as she wanted with no arguments. He removed the braces on him that he still had on grateful to take them off, and stood there. "And?"

Her eyes roamed hungrily down him. She felt excitement pour through her. "You are the only one I want to see me like this."

He grinned in his signature way. "I only want you to see me like this."

"I want to kiss you and hold you. You've been a very good boyfriend since we've been together." Beckoning him over, Helga loved how he automatically felt against her once his skin touched hers. It was its own fireworks show happening.

* * *

The way she was dropped off in front of her house.

He gave her such hope that they'll see one another again.

He smiled at her.

Told her how he loved her.

Now he hardly looked at her even as he promised her he'll call her.

Now as she stood there as he sped off.

Her inner thighs burning from the constant reminder.

The tear stains that dried up against her cheeks.

She knew the truth.

He didn't really care for her at all.

* * *

He looked up towards her window. There she was. His perfect Deity walking around behind her drawn curtain. He could tell she was naked. He spent years knowing when she had clothes on and when she didn't. Such physical perfection was up there and Arnold was coveting all for himself.

Making a fist he slammed it against the wall angry that he elicited such a worthy prize while he, himself had to run around the sewer systems to elude capture.

Sighing, he sat down on the dirty ground between both homes to keep a watchful eye on his Deity. Someone he prayed to. Someone he hoped to covet as well.

* * *

The rumors disgusted him. Yet they swirled around in such a sickening way that he couldn't avoid to see how it was affecting, Gloria. He went up to her to speak to her to find out what occurred and to hear the details had him holding her. Comforting her. Feeling his own trust in someone he called a friend go out the window. She didn't deserve this.

At lunch time, he entered the Cafeteria. His anger was at the fullest level as he scanned his best friend for years not even have the barest hint of regret for what he had done. Anger continued to rip through him to the point he had no clue when he laid his fist on him till he spotted Sid on the ground with a bloody nose.

"After what you done. I never want to speak to you again." Stinky informed him as he turned on his heel to head out of the place. He had his lunch in hand, and he made sure to bring a still shaken Gloria with him.

Sid held his nose to try to stop the flow of blood even as he watched his best friend for years depart from that place. Standing up on shaky legs, he left to head to the nearest bathroom to clean his pride. In his wake he left mostly silence.

In the restroom, Sid wasn't surprised that Arnold came in with a critical expression on his face. He rested his back against the wall as Sid still busied himself. "Stinky. Man he doesn't mean what he said to me."

Arnold shook his head. "Why do you treat girls like this? None of them deserve that. Gloria certainly didn't. She has always been such a sweet person. Someone that your own friend loved. You knew this and you just hopped on her without a single thought about anyone else. Do you even care?"

There was no reply to that as Sid continued to nurse his nose. He did have a reaction when another person came in a rush into the restroom scaring him against the sinks. "AH!"

Pointing her finger directly at his face, Helga glared at him. "You are scum. You hear me? Scum. Does it feel good to ruin a good girl's reputation like that?" Turning the faucet on to the sink his ass was sitting on, Helga pulled away to look at Arnold. "Just because of this genius. Stinky, Harold, and Patty had to pull some jocks away from harassing Gloria." Holding her arms out wide, Helga waved them out wide. "You happy now? Now I'm going down to help counsel that poor girl because of your fucking ass. Thanks a lot jerk."

Arnold listened to her kick the door open. "What you did put her in danger and you are just pitying yourself right now." Turning away, he left Sid alone.

XX

Helga was left alone in a room with Gloria. Her parents were called down due to what happened, and were being calmed down by, Dr Bliss. It wasn't unusual that Helga was called in for counseling sessions with another teenager when it was a delicate situation involved. She just was there to calm the person down and hopefully help them. She always told them that she never narked on anyone.

Gloria looked up shyly at Helga and tried to smile just to falter. "I remember admiring you for so long."

"That's a pity if it was from the, 'It Girl' days." Helga joked dryly.

She laughed weakly. "It was a little before that honestly. I mean, yes you were considered a bully, but I didn't feel like you were. If you were truly one, than why were those same kids that called you that, hang out with you? I just think that was a name to call you because they don't know what a strong person is."

"Well I didn't have much of a filter at the time. Now I do think before I speak. I honed it in." Helga admitted out loud. "Sometimes I will go off the railings, but I think it is well deserved than."

She smiled. "I wish I could, but I was taught to always have manners. Always smile." Gloria felt the emptiness inside her grow. "That need to please."

Helga watched as she fidgeted with herself. "Do you want to tell me what happened with Sid and yourself?"

Gloria placed her hand underneath her hair to brush it up and away. She adjusted herself. "He acted so sweet with me. He listened to what I said. Seemed so genuine. I thought I would say yes to go going on a date with him."

Helga believed that, Gloria adjusted herself more than her. It amazed her how many nervous ticks that she held on her delicate frame even as tall as she was. "Take your time."

She appreciated that. "Well I thought he meant a regular movie theater. He took us to a drive-in." Clearing her throat, Gloria continued. "Well we were there and we got refreshments, and we talked before the movie started. He still was so sweet."

Spotting the lone tear, Helga brought the box of tissues forward for her to take.

"Well we moved in the back because he complained of discomfort. I obliged because I didn't want him hurt. Well we were back there and we begun to kiss. It was nice kisses. Nothing sleazy and than I found myself on my back." Gloria moved her hem down more. "My dress went up like all dresses do, and I don't know how it happened, but it did." Her hand made funny movements. "His thingy. I felt it in me."

"Gloria, did he rape you?" She asked as gently as possible even though that word itself often just screamed out loud.

She shook her head. "No. Honestly no. I am the type of girl who wanted to wait till I got married or at least with a guy that I'm in love with. Sid kept repeating how he loved me."

Helga will tear Sid's throat out.

"It hurt while it was happening and sometimes it felt nice." Gloria fidgeted again. "Sid isn't exactly gentle though. Still after." She fell silent for a long time. "He hardly looked at me on the ride home. He said he'd call me, but I knew that was a lie. When he dropped me off he didn't walk me to the door. He just drove off without a word. When I come to school I'm getting guys flirting with me and saying such horrible things. I knew."

Hearing her break down and cry, Helga stood up to go to her side to let her cry on her shoulder. She hated how the guy ended up like the hero and the girl ended up being the whore. The stupid double standards of society.

XX

Stinky stood there unhappy to hear that her own parents thought it was best to transfer, Gloria out of that school now. They couldn't risk her safety now after such a close call after one day. He sniffled at hearing how he couldn't even protect her really. Feeling Helga place a hand on his arm, he saw her hand him a note before she wandered away.

 _Dearest Stinky,_

 _This isn't good bye between us. You are one of my oldest and dearest friends that I will call upon still._

 _I wish I could of seen you before I left, but it was a whirlwind when I did have to part ways from here._

 _I'll be changing my number knowing that many have been calling me left and right since this morning._

 _You'll get that very soon. This I promise you._

 _Much Devotion to you,_

 _Gloria_

He folded up the note carefully to place in his pocket. He lost his best friend and the girl he loved today.

* * *

Ludwig watched her do her training exercises alone. She was in a simple traditional outfit training her martial arts, and yet he found her so sexy. How she kicked her legs out. That simple look of determination as she fought an unknown intruder. Watching her finish and drink her water, Ludwig brought her in for a kiss.

"You are so beautiful doing that."

She blushed. "Thank you." Sitting down she looked up at her boyfriend. "I'm glad you appreciate it."

"I do." Kissing her again, Ludwig couldn't get enough of her as his tongue parted her lips a bit too hungrily. His past senses took over unaware of how much pressure her tiny hands were creating against him.

Phoebe's eyes went wide at how this felt so unlike him. She felt her front become undone. His hips buck against her as she fought to push him away until she manage to splay him out to the ground. She stood there shocked unaware of how swollen her lips had become. "Perhaps you should go." She stated firmly. She felt uncomfortable around him suddenly.

Seeing what he done, Ludwig got on his knees as he recited several passages of forgiveness before baring his own. "Please forgive me for what I've done, Phoebe. I do respect you tremendously and this shows that I still have so much to learn. I'm sorry."

Phoebe's mouth dropped open slightly even as he left the room quickly in his traditional embarrassed way. She thought to head to Helga's house but knew that she was spending time with her family right now. So maybe it was best to take a walk to Curly's.

Leaving her house, Phoebe just wandered down the street trying hard not to think of much. Well she tried not to think of Ludwig. Though in her life she knew it was hard for her not to think of anything much else since all she ever did was think. She loved to think. She loved to think of facts. Fun facts or scientific facts. Anything of any nature. It was in her brain to be like this and she couldn't help herself even as she found herself with a breeze hitting her.

"Hey Phoebe. What are you doing here at the pier?" Gerald asked as he came closer to her with a pleasant smile on his face.

She turned her face to him knowing how lost in thought she really was in for her to end up here. "I want to go to Elk Island."

"Huh?" Gerald heard her urgency as she continued forward. "Why?"

"When a girl wants to do something. Don't question her." She informed him as she hopped in the nearest dingy. She had no clue if it was owned or not. Right now she just wanted to go even as she picked up an oar.

Going down, Gerald held onto one of the oars. "You know you are stealing someone's boat."

Phoebe blinked at him as she examined the dingy a little more closely. "This is Sheena's Uncle's boat. I hear he has been sick lately. He'll be fine with us taking it." With that she grabbed the oar from him.

Taking it back, Gerald groaned. "Fine, but let me do this for you." He mumbled out as he begun to row out. "I wonder what happened to the engine?"

Phoebe didn't answer as she remained focused on the island ahead of them. It was a place that somehow had an answer for her right now.

XX

It was an abandoned house of that author that resided here. No clothes. No food left except for a can of beans. There was a musty old blanket still in the linen closet. Lifting up a half broken mug, Phoebe turned to Gerald.

"Oh Darling! Would you care for some coffee?"

Sitting down at the dusty table, Gerald crossed his legs. "Why, yes dear. I would love to have some coffee. You make the best coffee."

Coming closer with the mug, Phoebe deposited it next to him. "Oh you are quite kind with your compliments." Kissing his cheek, Phoebe giggled as she moved away. "Perhaps some egg and bacon to go with that coffee?"

Taken aback by that kiss, Gerald tried to maintain himself. "How about you sit down and I cook for you for a change?"

"Oh that will be very sweet of you." Laughing, Phoebe heard the sudden roar of thunder. "That's strange. They didn't say anything about rain."

Hearing the quickness and the thickness of how it hit the roof, Gerald went to the door. "When has the weatherman ever been that accurate?" Opening up the door you could hardly see outside. "I think it is safer if we stay here till it clears."

Coming to look, Phoebe delved into her pockets to notice she forgot her phone. "I forgot my phone. What about you?"

Bringing his phone out, Gerald crinkled his eyebrows. "No signal, but I'll try getting a text out." Typing in the one person he always managed to get a text to, Gerald waited. "Stay here so I can make sure the boat is fully on shore."

"Please be careful."

"I will." Running out of there, Gerald hoped that the boat was still there, but when he got to shore he started to shout out some expletives. "Great."

Phoebe was seeing if the fireplace was safe enough to make a fire in when she heard Gerald come back in. Seeing him soaked, Phoebe rushed over to him wrapping him up in a hug. "Oh Gerald. You're soaked through."

"The boat drifted away. Even if we tried to get out of here we can't."

Lifting her eyes up, Phoebe blamed herself for this mess as she separated from him to go for the blanket. It was better than nothing. "Let me try to start a fire. Remove your clothes."

"What?" Gerald blushed.

Lifting her eyebrow up, Phoebe pursed her lips. "Do it or get a cold." Tossing the blanket towards him, Phoebe set about looking for some kindling.

Removing his clothes, Gerald placed it aside as he wrapped the blanket around him. The rain was coming down harder to the point he swore it would break open the roof. "Do you need help?"

"No." Getting a small fire set, Phoebe searched for more things to help throw in there. When she was done she took his clothes to lay out near it to let it dry out. "Are you cold?"

"A little. Surprising given this time of year." Gerald informed her.

Nodding her head, Phoebe wandered off just humming before surprising him under the blanket. "We'll share body heat."

Feeling her skin against his, Gerald had to think many unattractive thoughts. "Uh. Yeah. Uh. Ugly thoughts. Ugly thoughts."

Amused, Phoebe giggled. "It is only me, Gerald."

"Seriously?! You are so beautiful and you are naked. Do you really think that little of yourself?!" Gerald realized he was shouting. "I'm sorry I hurt you, but I feel like if I didn't I would of had this chance in having you as my girlfriend a long time ago instead of LUDWIG! I'm such a stupid idiot."

"Stupid and idiot are the same meanings." Phoebe pointed out quietly.

"I love that you do that." Gerald spoke quietly now. "Maybe some might think that as obnoxious, but I don't. You make it so endearing." Turning his head to her, Gerald needed to ask. "Do you love him?"

"No. I just like him. I think he likes me mostly as a friend. I only went out for a walk because he still needs to control his urges." Phoebe informed him. "He tried to strip me, but he tried to seek instant penance for his mistake so he is still trying." Shrugging, Phoebe sighed. "I don't know."

Gerald was quiet as he sat beside her. He occasionally glanced at his phone in hopes of a return text back from Arnold. He was always someone who never ignored his texts. Timberly and Jamie-O would be forgetful.

"I'd be honored to take you out if you ever call it quits with him. This time I would. I wouldn't give up my chance either."

XX

In his room, Arnold was between doing his studies and falling asleep from the constant assault of the rain beating against his skylight. Hearing the rain change into hail for a while, his head tipped up to double check the glass above him before it quickly fell back to just rain. As he went back to his studies his phone vibrated next to him. It was a temptation to ignore it, but in the back of his head he felt he shouldn't as his hand grabbed it.

 **G: Arnold! Phoebe and I are stuck on Elk Island at Agatha's.**

 **G: Boat floated away. Unable to leave once rain clears even if we could leave. Help.**

Getting up, Arnold left his room to yell down for his dad for help.

XX

Gerald placed his clothes back on happy to have a barrier between him and her now. She hadn't said much after his confession, and it worried him. "Phoebe?"

She wanted to kiss him. She wanted him to hold her. She just didn't want to cheat on her boyfriend. Phoebe finally went to meet his eyes just to see his phone light up. "Your phone." She pointed behind him.

Turning his head, Gerald spotted the message from Arnold with a smile. "He says he is trying to get us help off here. Told me he notified your parents and mines."

She hugged him happy the message went through. "If I did break it off with him what's to say that Rhonda won't interfere again?"

"I'll make sure that this time she hears me." Gerald assured her happy to have a non-awkward embrace from her. "We smell like musty blanket."

Laughing, Phoebe had to agree. "We most certainly do."

Hearing the door open someone in a Coast Guard uniform entered. "Gerald Johannsen and Phoebe Heyerdahl?"

"Yes." They both answered.

Smiling the person handed them both rain coats. "Come with us than. We'll place the life jackets once you are on the boat."

Happy, Gerald and Phoebe left the confines of the house after Phoebe put the fire out in the fireplace.

XX

Helga sat in Phoebe's bedroom after listening to her speak about, Ludwig's visit up to her being on Elk Island. Taking in everything that she was saying, Helga wiggled her toes around as she knew she was allowed to be blunt.

"Ludwig isn't ready to be in a relationship with you or anyone else. He wants to control his urges still, and he can't around a fine looking girl such as yourself." She smiled at her friend hoping she knew that she wasn't teasing her. "As for Gerald, he does have feelings for you, and he respected you in a lot of ways to control himself."

Phoebe watched her friend just wiggling her toes still. "I am more attracted to Gerald than, Ludwig."

"Because you are in love with Gerald while you aren't with Ludwig." Helga shrugged. "I knew this a long time ago. That is why you took it so hard when he went out with Rhonda."

"What if Ludwig doesn't want to be friends with me anymore because of this?" Phoebe was beginning to regret to come to this decision.

Her hand touched her friend's shoulder. "Well it is either this or prepare to get married to Ludwig. Which one will you have?"

Than the choice was clear to her. Phoebe will need to break it off with, Ludwig.


	9. Chapter 9

Phoebe placed her hand in his. She felt bad. Her eyes met his now very gentle ones. "Can we still be friends?" She gently asked him.

Ludwig smiled very gently in return. "With everything you've done for me. We can always be friends." He told her sincerely. Leaning down he gave her one tiny kiss on the side of her lips. "Right now I just need some time away."

Understanding, Phoebe nodded while she watched him walk away unaware of a pair of eyes watching the scene from a classroom window. He spotted that expression on her face and understood it all too well. He wanted to hold her.

* * *

He had tried several times that day to try to speak to Stinky, but it wasn't working. So heading up his front porch, Stinky stepped out with a hard expression in his eyes. Sid stared up at him hoping that his pleading ones will help him, but he just shook his head.

"You have nothing you can say that could change my mind." Stinky told him in a frank voice. "I told you how I felt about, Gloria and look what you gone and done with her. You deflowered and set her up for the jackals."

"Yeah but you were never gonna say anything to her." That was the wrong thing to say. Sid knew it instantly as he waved his hands in the air before clasping them. "I'm sorry. Please let me rephrase that."

Stinky still held his hard gaze on him. "Naw. I won't. Now I want you to leave me best alone. You've done enough." Walking away from him, he closed the door behind him.

Sid messed up bad. He was worse than scum as he walked back home. He felt it was best when he originally set out to head over to, Stinky's place. He didn't want the luxury of his car. He wanted to use his feet.

As he continued to wander back home he felt himself knocked hard in the ribs before getting slammed in the back. He passed out unaware of what was happening to him.

XX

"So there are three other guys out there." Helga was saying slowly as she laid her pen against her notepad. "Do I even dare ask how they know this?"

It was an uncomfortable conversation for him to listen to when he found out. "D.N.A. Also statements from the other victims. I got only half of them."

Watching him shift in that way, Helga moved to ease his mind. "They injured you, but nothing more than that. It sucks that they hurt you, but I'm happy nothing more happened."

"Because I have Wonder Helga on the job." His finger touched the side of her face.

 **"MONKEY MAN!"**

Both pausing at that sound, they both stood up. "Uh?"

XX

The teenager looked really bad even after they checked his vitals. Writing down his name for their records from his license after they loaded him up into the ambulance, the vehicle went down the main boulevard heading towards the hospital.

Hearing a flat line they began to scramble to begin chest compressions as the other paramedic readied the paddles. Hearing the call that he isn't responding, the paddles were placed on the teens chest prompting the body to kick up some from the current. Hearing the beep, they made sure he would continue to stabilize.

XX

As Arnold was walking Helga to her car, his dad came rushing out of the house. "What is it, Dad?"

"That was your mom. Your friend Sid was just brought into the hospital. He was attacked pretty bad in an alley way pretty similar to you. It seems a Monkey Man stopped it." Miles told him as if he weighed what he really heard.

Though Sid wasn't her favorite person on her list, Helga knew that Arnold would like to see him. "I'll drive you. Do you want to come, Miles?"

At least having the opportunity to be in this vehicle, Miles said yes after he rushed in to get his belongings before coming back out. As for Helga, she let Arnold borrow her phone to ring up Gerald if he wanted to.

Arriving at the hospital, Arnold instantly recognized, Sid's parents as he went up to them to speak to them. Helga hung back to contact her parents to tell her where she is so they won't get worried. Even as same Detectives that are handling Arnold's case came in to greet him.

"Mr Shortman, may I ask why you are here?" One of the Detectives inquired.

Arnold sucked in a deep breath. "Sid is a friend of mines."

Making a face at that of sympathy, the Detective shook his head. "Were you there at the time?"

"No I wasn't. I was told by my dad while I was at home."

Spotting, Helga he asked the same question of her. "And you, Ms Pataki?"

Helga stood beside Arnold. "I was with Arnold when we were both told at the same time. We are just here for moral support. We won't get in the way." She assured him.

Nodding his head, the Detective excused himself to go over to the nurse to speak to them. Soon they were lead towards the back.

XX

It was two days when Sid actually regained consciousness. While he spoke to the cops about what happened, and let his parents visited. He refused to have anyone else visit him. Not even Arnold.

The pain was intense all throughout his body. Any adjustment led to one worst pain after another. He had one eye that was pretty much welded shut and the other that was halfway there. He sighed unhappily having a feeling that his friends just wanted to see him out of pity. Still as he reflected upon it, he knew that wasn't true. He screwed his best friend over.

This was his karma.

* * *

Saturday came and Gloria finally got the nerve to face Stinky. She knew he wasn't judgmental of her by how he treated her after the news broke out. So finally after getting her spine straightened up, Gloria knocked on his door as she was greeted by his Paw.

"Good Afternoon, Sir. May I please speak to Stinky if he is here?" Gloria wondered nervously.

Smiling down at the sweet girl, he opened up the door for her. "Why certainly. I'm sure he'll love to speak to you, Ms Gloria. He is right upstairs in his bedroom. First door to the left."

"Thank you sir." Going past him, Gloria ascended the wooden staircase almost too slowly to his bedroom, but not too slowly when she reached the top. Knocking on his door, she entered once she heard his voice. "Hello, Stinky."

The room brightened up with her in it. Stinky smiled as he saw her sweet bashful smile. Her hair was down this time instead of held up partially like it normally was. "Well hello, Ms Gloria. I've missed you."

She smiled as she stepped closer. "I missed you too." Rushing up to him she had to hug him. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

Pulling away, Gloria re-clasped her hands together. "I'm afraid I did." Sitting on his bed she was having that horrible ache at the pit of her stomach. "You see, I had a lot of feelings for you, but seeing as you didn't seem to express feelings for me other than friendship, I thought to go out with Sid. Of course I should of told you how I felt so it is also my fault too."

He stepped forward. "I'm in love with you, Ms Gloria. I'm not angry at you for going out with him. I'm angry at him for what he done to you."

She placed a hand to her heart. "You love me?" He nodded his head. "Oh Stinky." Gloria moved to stand up just to hold him. "I love you too."

* * *

Arnold snuck into Sid's room in spite of him not wishing to see anyone else. There he was completely battered up worse than he was. He looked unrecognizable as both legs were up in the air, and his breathing seemed labored. Arnold couldn't get any closer in fear of disturbing his sleep even if he heard the words tumbling out of Sid's mouth.

They were low. They were disturbing. His voice was harsh from obviously screaming for so long. Arnold's own breathing became labored at hearing what he heard as he stepped back more. His back met up with someone else, and he looked to see it was his own father taking him by his arm to drag him out of there.

Ray dragged him all the way towards an out of the way park area for tiny kids. Since it was dark, there were no children there as Ray sat there at the bench with his head in his hands. Arnold sat beside him feeling just as helpless.

"He wants to actually die." Ray told him as he finally broke out of his silence. "You heard it from his own lips. He only talks about it in his sleep."

Arnold tried to still his breathing, but he felt the whole hospital could hear him. "H-How bad is it?"

Ray showed him his bloodshot eyes. "It is really bad. I heard you got hit by the other three in the group, but you were far luckier." He looked to the braces on his legs. "How much longer do they stay on?"

"Last time it was two weeks, but they tacked on another week. The problem really stems with my back so they are trying to make it stronger." Arnold told him. "It isn't so bad."

"Yeah I guess not." Ray felt like more hair was slipping off his scalp. "He tells the Psychiatrists to go to hell. I don't know what to do."

"I can try if you want." Arnold offered. "I would like to try."

"Please help my son." Covering his eyes with his palms, Ray felt so hopeless right now. "Please."

XX

Arnold spoke to Helga in confidence about this delicate situation knowing she'll keep it silent. Helga sighed knowing that this is the first to hear about from a males point of view.

"Best thing to do is to never pressure them into speaking." She began by saying. "It never helps. Also while you were lucky to escape that other part of the situation, he didn't, so perhaps he'll talk to you knowing he can trust you."

"What if he can't?" Arnold asked.

Placing her hand on his knee, Helga said very gently. "Than ask him if there is anyone else in the world he can speak to right now, who will it be. Don't give him the other choice. I know he is thinking about ending his life."

XX

So with that he ended up in the room with Sid wide awake and looking at him with some disdain. Arnold pressed forward as he presented him with his favorite drink that he loved. "Hi Sid."

"My dad wants you to talk to me." Sid figured. "It won't work, Arnold. I like you and respect you, but not now because it won't change my mind." He tried to turn his head, but it hurt too much.

Arnold nodded his head. "Than may I ask you this than: If there is anyone else in the world you would like to speak to right now, than who would it be?"

Sid opened his mouth up to reveal his answer.

XX

Helga wandered out of the room professionally before conferring to, Dr Bliss about what was shared. She did inform Sid that she would do this with her since she was under her guidance. Soon they both wandered back into the room together to speak to Sid together.

Meanwhile, Arnold waited with Sid's parents. They had an understanding that this will be mostly be held in a confidential manner unless Sid expressed otherwise, or further evaluation was needed. As his parents were clasping their hands together more tightly together, Dr Bliss exited the room informing Arnold to step into the room with Sid.

Wandering in there, Sid was speaking to Helga calmly as she was listening. Arnold could already see her as a doctor herself. There in a suit with her hair done up being all professional. It was an amazing image as he went to sit down.

Sid sighed. "I'm going to get some extensive help a little outside Hillwood."

"It is a place that will provide some physical therapy for him and other types of therapy as well." Helga informed Arnold. "Given the fact that some of those assholes are trust fund babies, it'll be on their dime."

"There was a lawyer that was in here that told us that this is an open and shut case due to the evidence. I just hope they are off the streets for a long time." Sid told him. "I just wish I could adjust myself and shit. I wish I never did what I did with Stinky."

"Do you want me to get him down here?" Arnold wondered.

Sid glanced down at himself. "No. Don't. He'll feel sorry for me and he shouldn't. I just want you to write for me while I talk. I mean I can't right now." He said indicating his broken hands.

Knowing he was right, Arnold thanked Helga when she handed him a notepad and a pen. "Go ahead."

Opening his mouth, Sid began to compose his letter out to Stinky.

XX

Stinky was on the steps of his porch reading out the long letter, Arnold handed him. "He's serious?"

"Yep." Arnold stood up.

Folding the letter up, Stinky just glanced out over the garden. "Hard to think about, ya know. I'm sorry he got attacked, but it also hurts what he done to me."

Arnold considered his words. "Yeah it hurts to have your trust broken. Just imagine how it feels to have so much of yourself so broken inside that you want to kill yourself over what happened. I'm not trying to guilt you here. I'm trying to put things into perspective."

Stinky glanced away from him unaware of the full scope of what truly happened to, Sid.

XX

When Sid woke up he saw Stinky lounging against the window just glancing out it. His one eye hurt just studying him as he glanced away to rest it in an easier location. His heart sped up hoping to not have a fight now.

"They done something real bad to you." Stinky figured it all out just by the looks of Sid. No one had to explain it to him. "You know you can beat them at their own game by moving on with your life. It is the surest middle finger of life. They do this just to beat anyone down. They tried that with, Arnold. They tried that with you."

"Who told you?" Sid's one good eye widened.

"No one and that is the honest truth. I can see it like a billboard when I stepped in here." Stinky finally turned his head to him. "I hope you come back stronger than before. I won't tell them at all what happened. That is your business. You just got beat up. That's all I will say."

"You don't owe me that. I wasn't a good friend to you."

"You weren't." Stinky shrugged. "Well for that one thing, you weren't." Standing up, he got closer so he didn't have to strain. "Gloria and I are together. We finally confessed our feelings."

Trying to smile, Sid groaned in pain. "Fuck. That hurts. I'm glad you are with her. I really was horrible to you."

"Yeah you were, but I'll try to visit you at that place when I can." Stinky assured him with a smile. "That's what friends do."

* * *

Parking her car where she normally did, Helga propped herself against it just cracking the bones in her neck from the stresses of today. First there was Sid which was actually the largest thing for her to take on. Than there were other cases that, Dr Bliss needed her on. She didn't mind seeing how most wanted to talk to someone their own age. Something that she could understand. Though the last case. A case that resembled her when she was younger seemed to hit her hardest.

Her head turned towards her home knowing how things improved in there, but to find your past colliding with you just had her take a step back.

"Helga?"

Hearing that familiar accent, Helga turned her head back towards to see Inga standing there. It was strange to see her back in that house again as her dad's nurse, but it was nice. "Yes?"

Inga stepped down the stoop. "Are you fine?"

"Yeah. Just tired from today."

"Are you hungry?" Inga came closer to her concerned for her well being.

Smiling at the still attractive woman, Helga shook her head. "Dr Bliss treated me to a meal. I think I'll take a bath, and fall asleep early tonight. How's dad?"

Wrapping her arm around her shoulders, Inga thought to guide the young woman in. "He's fine. He swears to be knocking out early himself. Though I believe you will beat him."

Snickering at that, Helga and her entered inside the house. "Thanks for taking care of him."

"Well that is my job after all. You go and take care of yourself." Inga told her as she went back into the kitchen to begin preparing for some meals for tomorrow.

Moving upstairs, Helga went to the bathroom to say hi to her mom before filling up the tub up. Heading into her bedroom she removed her clothes before placing her robe on to head back in time to dip herself to suds herself.

When she was done and back in her bedroom, Helga was in her closet standing there fully naked as she went about thinking of her list in her head.

XX

After his own shower, Arnold removed his robe to begin rubbing the muscle rub down on his tired body. Enjoying some of the instant relief he was feeling, Arnold knew it didn't compare to when Helga massaged it in his aching body. Reaching for his phone, he placed the earbud in his ear to keep it hands free.

"Hi beautiful. Did I disturb you?" He asked her.

"No. I'm just in my closet just standing here perfectly naked. What about you?" Helga answered nonchalantly.

Dropping the rub on the ground, Arnold sat on his bed. "I'm naked too and rubbing that muscle rub on me. I wish you were doing it instead."

Helga smiled. "Next time, Football Head. I promise."

"Have I told you how I think you are amazing lately?"

Smirking as she lifted up a pair of her shorts and tank top, Helga said, "Well you can tell me again if you'd like."

"Well you are amazing. So amazing that I would love to take you out to eat to an actual restaurant. Would you care for that?" Hearing her humming on the line, Arnold wanted to imagine her either sitting or wandering around her room. Hopefully without being peeped on.

"I'd love that. When?"

"Tomorrow if you are free."

Spotting something she would love to wear on a date with him, Helga fingered the fabric. "Sure. I'm very free."

"Great! I can borrow the Packard."

XX

Dressed all in black a pair of almost faded green eyes stared down longingly at, Arnold's naked form. She swooned as her hand brushed against her side imagining how it would feel for him to touch her.

"We'll be together soon. Just ever so soon." She swore softly as her hand touched her stomach, and went up to caress herself. "We'll make love under the moonlight."

XX

Slipping her pajama's on, Helga finally left her closet turning off her light. "You sure you can drive with those braces on?"

"I'll take them off. I asked my mom and she said it will be fine. She did warn me not to go bungee jumping off of any tall bridges though."

Listening to him chuckle over the line, Helga slipped under her covers enjoying the sound of his laugh. "Or scaling down any large buildings with a gorgeous blonde on your back."

Grabbing his bottoms to slip them on, Arnold smiled at that memory. "Well I love how you call yourself gorgeous. You are completely gorgeous. Also when I get better maybe we can try it again. Just remember to wear a dress or a short skirt so I can fully enjoy it this time around."

"Perv." Her skin tingled at the thought of him being so cheeky with her. "But sure."

Securing the braces on him, Arnold reached for his remote to turn his lights off. "Tell me what you are in the mood to eat."

Rolling her eyes in the air in thought the side of her lips quirked up. "What are you in the mood for?"

So she was being cute. Arnold laid in his bed saying the very first thought that popped into his mind. "Hungarian."

Her eyebrow quirked up.

"Preferably the kind that is tall with a very perfect body. She has the ability to always keep me on my toes. Intrigues me. Loves me. Has me desire her more. Love her more. Has this creamy white skin that begs me to kiss every inch of her."

Her foot moved up her leg sensually at his words. "Well you are lucky that I'm into more tropical fare. Preferably food from San Lorenzo. Food that begs for me to suckle for hours."

Arnold groaned at the innocuous meaning to her statement. "I could do the same with Hungarian food too."

"Hmmm" Yawning involuntarily, Helga cursed her luck. "I've been talking to so many today for, Dr Bliss."

"Care to be picked up at six or seven?"

Helga had a conference with her stomach. "Six. Also Mexican sounds pretty good to me."

"Sounds perfect to me. I'll pick up my wonderful girlfriend at six. I love you, Helga. Good night."

"Good night, Football Head. I love you too." Smiling into the phone, Helga eventually hung up with a happy sigh. Placing the phone aside to charge it, Helga fell into a blissful sleep.

Doing the same on his end, Arnold fell asleep also unaware of a petite person standing up before they move on to work on her plan.

* * *

He worked furiously with the fresh chalks that he got against the wall. Her image taking form. It was so perfect, but still not as beautiful as the real thing. With her lavender smelling tresses. Her vanilla smelling skin. He can imagine she was as soft as she appeared. He loved those perfect white teeth of hers. What would it feel like to sink himself into her flesh? Will it ruin such perfection for life?

She was a Deity after all. No one was supposed to ruin her.

Did Arnold sink himself into her yet?

Suddenly his hand left his medium to calm himself. Arnold shouldn't ruin such perfection. Yes he wanted to taste her himself, but even he didn't want to ruin her. She was supposed to be placed on a pedestal for life. Protected. Worshiped by all to see.

* * *

Nadine was surprised to see Curly there at the lake. So surprised that she fell on her back landing halfway on the shore, and the water itself. She kept her eyes affixed towards the sky above wondering if she was just imagining it until he was looming above her.

"Uh. Hi." She greeted him lamely as her eyes closed in shame.

Feeling soft, firm lips against hers, Nadine's eyes opened in surprise to note that it was indeed Curly kissing her. Closing her eyes as his arm went around her waist to secure her, Nadine felt herself almost floating towards him. Her first official kiss was with, Thaddeus Gammelthorpe.

Rhonda knew that Nadine often woke up early to go and catch her nasty bugs in the Lake at this time. Walking down the pathway leading to where she normally was had her stopping to see a crushing sight. To find Fallow over Nadine kissing her, she had a feeling he was only taking pity on her. Still her secondary feeling took over as she growled before storming away.

Pulling away from her, Curly smiled down at her. "I had a long session with my doctor."

She was still so dazed. "And?"

Finding her very cute like this, Curly gave her a tiny kiss. "Helga went to bat for the both of us."

Giggling when he came back down to kiss her again, Nadine felt like she was floating again.

XX

That night, Gerald walked out of his house already in a dress shirt to find Rhonda already standing there. He sighed at guessing why she was there. "Not interested." He spoke in a bored tone as he pushed past her to head to his car.

Going after him, Rhonda reached for his hand. "You and I are going on a date. You and I will become boyfriend and girlfriend. You will not say no to this."

Removing his hand from hers, Gerald shook his head. "No. I am heading over to someone else's house. Someone that I hope will say yes to becoming my girlfriend one day. This is something that I want."

"No! You will be with me."

Gerald narrowed his eyes to her. "No. I am sick of this. You did have a right to be mad at me for that one day. Now I have a right to be mad at you right now. I will not be some consolation prize for when something doesn't go right for you. So your ex-boyfriend would rather stoop his own cousin than you. So Fallow doesn't want you. So other guys don't want you. Guess what, Rhonda? The world doesn't revolve around you. We had some fun, but now I just want to be with the girl of my dreams. So if you'll excuse me I have to leave to her place."

Watching him go to his car, Rhonda pouted as she watched him drive off. "Fine! If that's the way you'll be than you'll learn. They'll all learn."

"Who are you talking to?"

Turning around to face Timberly, Rhonda sighed. "Well not you. That's for sure."

Timberly grunted. "And they tell me I'm spoiled."

Turning her head with her mouth wide open, Rhonda looked back at, Gerald's sister in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Hand on her hip, nose in the air, Timberly flipped her own hair to mock her. "You heard me."

XX

Opening her door up, Phoebe smiled down at Gerald on his knee. "Gerald?"

"Phoebe I messed up a long time ago where I lost my chance with you. Not a day goes by where I never stopped thinking about you. Your sweet giggle. Your incredible knowledge that is inside that beautiful head of yours. To that very caring nature that exists inside that gorgeous heart of yours." Gerald brought forward a bouquet of roses from behind his back.

"I may not be much, but I will try to do everything in my power to always make you happy." He stands up. "Because I will do so much to see that smile that I love on your face." Presenting her with a couple of tickets, he smiled with all the confidence he can still muster, while his knees shook with nervous energy. "Phoebe, will you please accompany me tonight. I will like to go on a date with you."

Sniffing the roses, Phoebe's eyes lifted up as her mouth opened up to reply to him. "I would love to, Gerald. May I please change?"

"Yes you may." Gerald told her.

"Come in than, and I'll be right down." Phoebe was calm as she let him in.

Going in deeper her mother took the roses just to place them in a vase so her daughter can get ready. Phoebe appeared calm all the way until she reached her room until she ran into her closet to get her best dress on. Soon she was dashing into the bathroom to place make-up and brushing her teeth before rushing to the top of the stairs. Stopping there, she breathed in deeply to calm herself, and very gently, she glided down the steps as if she didn't rush at all.

At the bottom of the stairs, Gerald spotted his lovely flower always perfectly bloomed. He extended his hand out like a gentleman to kiss it. "You are truly beautiful." He meant it.

Phoebe blushed as she finally stepped down to say good night to her parents. She had no idea what he had planned, but she was sure it was good.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes what you think what happened to Sid and those guys who attacked him is true. He has his own extensive healing up to do now.**


	10. Chapter 10

Lila's head turned towards an old friend that was standing much further away watching the happy couple. This one truly followed Helga around like a dog. She approached him to notice that there was some unwashed aroma on him. Still she could maybe use him in the future.

"You still follow her like a dog." Her eyes stilled on him

Brainy kept his eyes on his Deity. He continued his watch on her.

"Still waiting for your treat from her?" Still no movement from him. His eyes remained on Helga. "What is so special about her? She treated you like a dog. Always hitting you. Never giving you any type of treat."

He didn't bother to flinch knowing the Devils game.

She smirked just a bit. She didn't want to go this route knowing how much it pained her to do. How much she wanted Arnold to take her innocence away. "I bet she treated Arnold already to a treat." She leaned forward. "A treat to her flower."

Brainy slapped her. His eyes were red as they lost sight of his Deity to view the Devil now. He stood above her at his full height.

Lila felt that every capillary in her skin broke open. It sounded like lightening and thunder combined in her ears the very moment he did that. "You can't honestly believe she is an angel." It hurt for her to speak. Did he break her teeth in the process?

"You are nothing more than the Devil. Always have been. Always will be." Brainy went back to his hiding spot. It was still in a darkened area where they couldn't spot him.

She raised herself up slowly feeling more shaken up. She stared after him. "I'm not the Devil." She refused to believe that.

Brainy turned his head towards her. "While I may believe he will still take her innocence away, he is still pure than yourself. You wish to dirty everyone that you get near." He raised himself up.

Lila saw him come at her quickly prompting her to rush away in fear.

"You are nothing but the Devil. The Deity has always been correct about you." Brainy whispered out. He had a feeling Lila could hear him still as he turned to walk to his hiding area.

* * *

"Been dying for honest to goodness real made tortillas. Screw store bought crap." Helga told him. Her mind was reaching orgasm city with this food. She wanted twenty helpings of it. "Also practically everyone that works here that we met so far are boss."

Arnold smiled at her. "I know. This place is fantastic. You happy about having this craving?"

"I'm over the moon. I want to keep coming here. Hell! I believe I want to sleep here."

One of the servers having heard her, came right over. "Oh we can let you sleep here, but there is a problem with that."

Helga glanced up at him. "Oh don't tell me that my boyfriend already staked claim to this place. Ugh."

Laughing, Juan shook his head. "No because I already had to deny him. It is I. I already sleep here so the only other place to sleep is near the stove, and I can't risk hurting someone as delightful as you."

Making a face at that, Helga shrugged. "Plus stoves are too hot anyhow. So I guessed I'll stay at my home."

"I guess so." Searching the table, Juan asked them. "Do you need any more refreshments?"

"If you don't mind." Arnold told him with a pleasant smile.

"Not at all. I'll be right back."

Waiting for them both to leave, Arnold leaned forward. "He was hitting on you."

"Eh. He was just being nice for tips. He should know he'll get a good tip anyhow." Winking at him, Helga leaned forward. "You'll get a better tip though."

Excited for that, Arnold continued to eat his meal.

XX

Phoebe was looking on at the stage in awe as the music continued to blare. Gerald stopped his dancing in seeming concern to her as he noticed how she stopped. "You really did this all for me?"

"Yes!" He looked down at her in hopeful wonder. "I missed out on a lot with you because of me being so dumb."

Guilt piled up on her. "It only hurt badly because of how I felt for you, Gerald. I know you are a good person."

Hearing the music drift into a slow romantic song, Gerald was glad he didn't have to shout so much now. "Dance with me." He brought his hands out in hopes she'll enter his space.

Stepping into his personal space, Phoebe felt what she didn't feel with, Ludwig. She smiled with a smile filled with such hope. "With pleasure."

This is what it meant to feel right with someone. Gerald shut his eyes while he enjoyed that moment with her. "I love you, Phoebe."

She blinked at hearing those words. She pulled back just a bit so she can look up at him. She paused in her movements to take a look at his face.

XX

"Oh and this is the Epiphryne verriculata, or otherwise commonly known as the Cabbage Tree Moth." Nadine informed him as she showed him a brown moth that doesn't seem so spectacular. "He is perfectly hidden on dead cabbage tree leaves, but if you ask me." She brought his small cage over to, Curly. "The way his brown is laid out, it looks more like it would be perfectly camouflaged against a tree." Feeling that she was talking way too much about her collection, Nadine placed him away. "I'm sorry, I'm talking way too much."

Taking her hand, Curly shook his head. "No I love hearing about it. I got to hear you talk about your favorite type, and where you would first like to go if you had the opportunity to study insects first hand."

Sitting on the bed, Nadine studied him shyly. "Really?"

"Yes. I want to be an Oceanographer actually." Watching her jump at that, Curly thought she looked cute when she brought up some books about getting your scuba license. "Guess you've been doing some research."

"Yes. I've always wanted to learn to do this. I mean sea life is just as fascinating and of course, Rhonda won't do it." Nadine sighed. "She does other things like sometimes play sports, but she doesn't want to do this."

Reading the pamphlet on the first place, Curly's eyes went to her almost defeated ones. "You know that Helga and Phoebe would of gone for it. Even Arnold and Gerald."

"Yeah they would, but she felt that Helga and Phoebe were traitors always coming to visit you." Her hand went to her mouth. She didn't want to upset him.

His eyes narrowed at that. "They are both family for doing that by constantly visiting me, and helping me. I know you aren't the one saying this."

"No, and I really wish I visited you." Nadine couldn't stop feeling so ashamed.

"Stop that. It isn't your fault." He brushed back her strands away from her face. "Time for you to make more of a stand against her. That is all."

"I am."

"How?"

She kissed him. "I'm beginning by wanting something with my heart and mind."

Kissing her back, Curly crushed her against him. "I like that, Nadine."

XX

Stepping further outside the restaurant, Helga listened to the music being piped out of the restaurant before pulling away from, Arnold doing a salsa routine. Besides doing a tango routine with Arnold when they were nine, and her doing ballet when she was around that age too, Helga was a novice.

Arnold watched her for a little bit enjoying the way she moved her body. She really did have a certain grace that no one knew about. So stepping closer, Arnold brought her in his arms. "May I join you?" His voice husky before his hips and hers almost met.

Her breath danced against his ear unknowingly sending tingles along his spine. "Yes you may."

From his hiding area, Brainy watched the pair dance to the music streaming out of the restaurant. There was the love and passion written so plainly on both of their faces. It was almost heartbreaking to him to find his Deity being snatched away by him.

At the end of the song, Helga giggled as she kissed him. "You still have it even with those braces on."

"I'm surprised and very pleased." He swallowed. "They found a a bulging disc in my lower spine. Two of them so they want to give me a series of three epidurals to help me out."

Nodding her head, Helga kissed him again. "Your parents driving you?"

"Yes and it will be done this Saturday. The first one. I'll be getting a kit a day before so I can get it prepared. Here is hoping." Sighing, Arnold nuzzled her nose. "Sorry to suddenly be a downer."

"You aren't. This isn't your fault. It is their fault you are like this. Besides, I'm still having a great time with you." Helga told him truthfully.

Grinning, Arnold went to take her hand. "Than I have another place in mind then."

XX

"You love me this soon?"

Gerald wasn't surprised she wanted to question him. "Yes, Phoebe I love you. Also it isn't too soon when I've been love with you for a long time now."

"When you were going out with Rhonda. Is that how long?"

"Yes, and please I really am sorry about that. I won't live that down obviously." Gerald released her deciding to just watch the show.

Phoebe made him turn to face her again. She forced him to bend down just so she can kiss him. She felt her toes curling up. Felt the hairs standing up on end at the back of her neck. She moaned into his mouth once he responded to her. She loved how he lifted her up. It was fireworks playing within her head so much that she had to open her eyes to make sure there weren't any. There weren't any fireworks.

She pulled her face away from him almost wishing not to do that, but she had to. "I love you too, Gerald." She felt his mouth covering her mouth again in response to her returning his sentiment.

XX

Helga placed her hand on the tree where their initials were carved out. Helga bravely told him she did that, and he stepped forward to place a design in. She smiled as her fingers danced against it.

"I visited it often. Our tree." Arnold told her softly.

She smiled fondly as her eyes went up the large trunk. "Our tree." Her voice almost hypnotized.

Stepping behind her, Arnold wrapped his arms around her. "What are you thinking? Are you thinking how amazing I am? You thinking about kissing me?"

"I always think about kissing you." She murmured.

Brushing her hair aside, Arnold kissed her neck. "I think about kissing you all the time."

Her skin tingled when his breath hit her skin. She moved forward in a moment of weakness. "Oh Arnold."

Running his hand on her back, Arnold was so tempted in removing her dress. "My beautiful, Helga."

Turning to face him, Helga wrapped her arms around him to bring him in for a kiss. She felt the air change around them as their kiss ignited a passionate wild storm. Her back was against the tree as his hands ran up her sides. Their deepened kiss became far more hungry. Feeling his finger brush against her nipple, Helga pushed him away a little.

"Sorry. It doesn't feel right now. Not here." She kissed him. "I love you, Arnold and I want this in a bedroom."

"Same here. I couldn't help myself." His forehead touched hers.

"Neither could I. You bring this out of me." She moved away from the tree enjoying how sweet he appeared with the moonlight hitting him. "Well you look very handsome."

Taking her by the hand to twirl her, Arnold brought her against him. "And you are still very beautiful."

"You know it."

He chuckled loving her smugness.

XX

Kissing Gerald at the door, Phoebe smiled sweetly at him. "I had a wonderful time tonight."

"I did too." His eyes glanced down at her tiny hands in his hands. "I was wondering if I can take you out next weekend."

"You may." She stepped closer to him.

Leaning down to kiss her, Gerald smiled. "I hope you have plenty of sweet dreams tonight because I know I will."

She giggled. "I will. I love you."

"I love you too." Kissing her, Gerald pulled away hating that he had to leave. "Good night, Phoebe."

"Good night, Gerald." Phoebe waved at him before she shut the door. Leaning against it she sighed in delight unaware that outside that Gerald was dancing towards his car.

* * *

Nadine noticed how Rhonda was ignoring her most of the morning. She hardly regarded her. Didn't even glance her way at all leaving her questioning to what was happening. She questioned her, but Rhonda pretended she didn't even hear her as she ran off towards another.

"Man! What's happening with her?" Gerald wondered over her shoulder.

Nadine shook her head. "I don't know. She is acting like I don't even exist."

Spotting Curly wander past given them a casual nod their way while he smiled at her, Curly continued on as he made his way towards his classroom. Nadine knew that with lunch coming up that Rhonda couldn't avoid her forever.

XX

Rhonda was filing her nails and as usual she was sitting next to Nadine. Taking a side glance over to her supposed friend's nails she snuffed at her lack of even caring for her own looks. "What does he even see in you?"

Nadine stopped drinking her soda to glance at her friend. "Who are you talking about?"

"You!" Rhonda's nose turned up at her. "You with the horrible nails. You with the overly tanned skin. You with the often frizzy hair that so many believe is a processed blonde. You is far more unattractive than myself."

She noticed how her friends stopped what they were doing to listen. She noticed how the next table did too. Nadine felt humiliated. She felt anger. "Are you calling me ugly?"

She waved her filer around in the air still not looking at her. "Not ugly, per say. More like-Fugly."

Arnold couldn't listen to this abuse. "Rhonda, how could you say this to your best friend?"

Nadine crossed her arms over her chest. "No I want to hear the truth from her. Now that it is finally out. So you think I'm fugly."

Rhonda finally laid her eyes on her just to scan her up and down. "Why certainly! You do know this Fallow has a girlfriend. The only reason why he is slumming with you is because he feels you are easy."

Grabbing her soda, Nadine stood up to instantly pour it all over her. "So now you call me unattractive and also a possible whore! What kind of human being are you? At least I never put anyone down like you."

Standing up herself, Rhonda wiped the soda away from her eyes. "I can't believe you did that. You have any idea how much this costs?"

"Of course. All you care about is fashion and yourself. Do you actually care about anyone else? No. At least I didn't make one single person break down enough to send them to an asylum. At least I never treated you meanly like you have like you have with me." Nadine shook her head as she spotted a teacher come forward. "At least I never forced Harold to kiss me when you knew very well he was with Patty and still is."

"Excuse me?" Patty's voice was heard as she looked towards Harold.

Waving his hand in front of him, Harold defended himself. "I didn't want it. You know I love you."

Rhonda stared at Patty almost horrified. "As if he will stay with you for a long time."

"Ladies, will you come with me." The teacher told them.

Nadine held up her hands. "No, I'll go. After all. She'll just say that the ugly deserve punishment anyhow." Pushing past her former friend, Nadine walked away with the teacher.

Watching her leave, Arnold shook his head at Rhonda's behavior. "You should apologize to her, Rhonda."

"Me?! She is the one who dumped soda all over me. You know how much this outfit cost me? It is ruined. RUINED!" Rhonda told him as she stormed away.

Getting up, Arnold went to grab her wrist as she was about to go past. "Apologize or you won't be allowed back over here. You did start it."

"Never." Taking her wrist back, Rhonda stormed away unhappy about them siding with a traitor than her.

Sitting back down, Arnold just looked over at his friend. "I think that this time it might be it between them."

"You might be right. She did say some awful things to her. I don't blame, Nadine for what she did." Gerald told him as he took a look down the table.

Harold steepled his hands together while Stinky glanced at his nervous friend. "Sure Rhonda is a might purdy and all, but to tell the truth, Nadine has these fine looking legs. I find nothing wrong with Nadine at all." Stinky said honestly.

Eugene grinned. "She has dancers legs."

"Oh she sure does, Eugene." Sheena said happy with a slight distraction. "They are so strong."

Arnold smiled at hearing his friends complimenting their friend even though she wasn't around. Pity it wasn't all said when she was there at the time.

XX

Rhonda grabbed the nearest office assistant she found to be the most gullible. The little pimple goblin glanced up at her as if he hit the jackpot, and in spite of her still stickiness, and stained shirt, Rhonda was it.

"Mind if I ask you for a little favor?" Her finger brushed down his front in slow manner.

He gulped enjoying how this felt. "Anything. What do I get in return?"

She brought her mouth close to him. Her nose detected the scent of his pimple cleanser still on him. Perhaps she won't kiss him after this. "I'll give you a great surprise. I promise."

Pushing her away, the nerd grabbed a piece of paper. "What is it?"

"I want information on that new student."

He understood which student right away as he began to write furiously before handing the paper to her. "Your signature so I know you won't back out of your promise. Also make it worth my wild. I am breaking a lot of rules for you."

Clenching her jaw, Rhonda considered it before writing her name down before handing it back to him. "Give it to me as soon as possible. Also don't give it to me in the open where others can see us. I want your prize to be very private." Winking at him, Rhonda left him alone for him to think about alone.

XX

Curly held his girlfriend against him. "You are beautiful. You are better without her."

Nadine sighed. "Don't you still love her?"

His arms wrapped around her. "I use to till I came face to face with her again. She is someone I don't see myself with anymore."

Feeling him kiss her neck, Nadine smiled. "You are just telling me this."

"I'm not." He moved her around to lay her on her back. He smiled down at her. "I really am not. Did you know you smell as sweet as cookies?"

She giggles. "I do not."

"You do and I love it." His hand went through her tendrils. "Your hair is so soft and sweet that I just want to sleep with you in my arms."

Nadine studied his handsome face. "Just sleep?"

"Well I want to do more than that, but I don't want to push you." Curly laid on his side against her to lift up her shirt to reveal her very toned stomach. "This is sexy as all hell. I had no idea that your passion would elicit this."

"Sometimes I go into strange situations. One time I was rushing around an abandoned building trying to locate as many varieties on species before some of the floor collapsed." Feeling his fingers play with her stomach, Nadine calmed herself. "I actually thought at one point that you might of been proud of me because I did one ballet move I had no idea what they call it."

Curly smiled lovingly at her. "I can imagine what it was if it was a large gap in the floor." She nodded her head. "Yeah you have the power to do that in you. I wish I was there to witness that. I would of worshipped you that day."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"You made me feel a little better." She lifted her phone up. "Plus our friends keep sending positive texts to me."

"They care." Kissing her lips, Curly lingered wanting her to return the kiss. Feeling her kiss back, he took her tongue under his possession in a loving embrace.

* * *

Tonight he decided to get on the roof of one of her neighbors house across the street. He wanted to stay within easy view of her while still maintaining his hiding spot. Tonight she was laying on her stomach doing her homework with her legs in the air. Such perfection.

"Oh bountiful, Deity." He whispered as he watched her shift prompting a hardness in his pants. Something that wasn't a problem when he was younger. "Grace me with more of you."

As if on queue, Helga got up from her bed to remove her top with her back towards the window. Her bra was still on as she wandered off, and he murmured a thank you to the heavens. When she returned she was wearing a small tank top and small shorts now. He watched as she laid back down just wiggling her bottom as she did.

Glancing down, Brainy felt uncomfortable down there, and while he had released before he never did it like this so out in the open. Now was an emergency. He needed relief.

* * *

Feeling a hand on her, Nadine looked up to find Curly standing over her. "What are you doing here, Fallow?" She asked after he landed a kiss on her.

Curly's smile faltered slightly. "You texted me just now telling me you needed to see me right now. So I came."

Nadine shook her head as she lifted up her phone. "But I didn't text you." She saw in her outgoing messages that she did. "I don't understand. I didn't text you."

"Oh, but I did." Rhonda announced with her hand on her hips. "Quite easy when you have the proper app."

"What are you up to?" Arnold inquired in a bored tone.

She paid him no mind even if the question gave her a perfectly timed response for her to actually answer. "It explains so much why someone like him is so attracted to you, Nadine. I mean only Thaddeus Gammelthorpe would be." Rhonda cocked her head towards Curly. "I guess you got out of that asylum a little too early, Curly. I suggest you head back where you belong. Go now. Head back to the home you belong to."

Curly heard his friends saying his name in various forms of disbelief except for, Arnold and Gerald. They were thankfully supportive. As for Nadine, he could feel her anger behind him. He did lift up his phone to text Helga that Rhonda found out about him though. "At least I grew up, Rhonda. I know a top notch Psychiatrist that could help you out with your issues." Reaching around to place his arm around, Nadine's waist, Curly kissed her on the lips. "She is beautiful. You lost whatever beauty you once had in you."

Nadine sighed at how good he felt. "I'm proud of you." She whispered to him.

Smiling at her, Curly let her go. "I'm glad you are." Moving towards Rhonda, Curly looked down at her before moving away. As he wandered out of the Cafeteria he wasn't surprised to find Helga coming towards him. "I didn't break down. I just feel bad for Nadine being in there with her, but I have faith that our friends will help out."

"Fucking bitch." Helga tried to move past him, but Curly lifted her up over his shoulder. "Hey!"

"Now, now. I love that you are protective over me, but right now I need to bring you back to class." Curly chided her a bit too sweetly.

"Ugh. This is humiliating." Watching the doors to the cafeteria become smaller and smaller, Helga blew a strand of hair up and out of the way. "You can put me down now."

"Not until we are close to your class, we won't." He could imagine the look on her face back there. He already felt her elbow against her back so he knew she was resting her chin on her palm.

XX

Arnold stood up as he watched the two former best friends stare down one another as if they were about to have a gun fight at high noon. "Rhonda, was that really necessary?"

"I believe it was." Rhonda answered as she stepped forward towards her former friend. "She betrayed my trust and this is what she gets."

Nadine opened her mouth. "He told you he wasn't even interested. He is interested in me."

"Yeah because Curly is insane." She stepped closer to the point of getting into her personal space. "I bet all he wants to do is get closer to you to get to me. Remember how in love with me he is. You do remember, don't you?"

Was another detention worth hitting her? Nadine considered as her Channel perfume washed into her personal space. "You are deluded. You have no heart. You are the reason why he ended up there. Remember how you taunted him enough to drive him crazy."

Rolling her eyes, Rhonda laughed at her. "Curly was already insane."

Nadine shook her head. "No he wasn't. He was fine until you broke him. You. Broke. Him."

Behind Rhonda, Gerald stood up. "You did break the boy pretty badly. No one had a hand in what transpired."

Eugene shook. "The amount of blood. Oh god I remember how he scratched himself thinking about those intestines you chucked at him. I didn't think you could possibly do such a thing and yet you did."

Rhonda listened to each of them recount each thing she supposedly did. "As if he is a saint. Each time he did something you all defended him. Each time I did something, I'm the evil one. Is there really no winning with all of you?" Her attention went to Eugene. "Also those were fake. As if I'd touch something real."

"Well you do love real fur." Nadine murmured.

Getting the meaning of that, Rhonda pursed her lips. "Yes, well."

Having hair hit her in the face, Nadine watched her former friend prance away from them. She sank down in her seat knowing it was time to change her phone number just to prevent, Rhonda from texting Curly again.

* * *

This family left for vacation and Brainy loved that knowing he got to remain near her. His attention flitted across the street where she was with, Arnold. They were both doing their own separate work, but he knew that Arnold was fantasizing about touching her.

Hearing the buzzer to this families dryer, Brainy left his post to head to the laundry room to gather his clothes. It felt good to finally have fresh clothes to wear. It was good to shower as well.

Heading back to his post he spotted them entangled together. There was his Deity on her back. Her long skirt that she wore was now further up as her leg was bent with, Arnold's hand roaming up that soft skin.

He growled in a predatory fashion as well became highly aroused. He continued to watch as Arnold was moving his hand in a way that had him knowing that they weren't playing chess.

XX

Helga double checked to see if she did indeed lock her door as his hand explored the fabric of her panties. When his hand reached a sensitive area, her head went back and than forward to kiss him passionatly. "More, Arnold." She begged breathlessly.

His finger slipped in between her fabric to meet up with very moist, tempting flesh. He swallowed as his finger teased her. "How much more?" He did want to tease her.

She felt so wanton. Her hand went to his wrist to guide him deeper. She secured him there with her thighs. "Do you need a bigger hint?" She practically growled.

His eyes went to her curtains. "Perhaps we should close those."

"Yes. Please do that."

Quickly he removed himself from the bed to shut the curtains.

XX

Arousal almost disappearing, Brainy still had the image of his Deity in the beginning throes of her passionate nature. Still having her naked flesh committed to memory, he decided to please himself instead.

* * *

She still couldn't deny how he grew up. He was heart stopping beautiful even if he is insane. It obviously didn't stop any of the other girls from viewing him in the same light, and even if he had Nadine side by side with him, Rhonda saw more of a benefit.

She watched as her former friend kissed him before they parted ways. She watched as her lackey from the office eyed Rhonda still expecting payment for his mission, but Rhonda still had other stuff on her mind that involved him.

Closing her locker, Rhonda was delighted to find herself behind Curly. She loved the very view of him from behind even as the familiar sound of Nadine's voice was called out. Guess she found her surprise in her locker. Curly turned his head to narrow it at her briefly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Rhonda thought to ask innocently.

He wasn't stupid as he went to check out what happened to Nadine. Rhonda did pause long enough to see the paint that was booby trapped had been triggered successfully. Rhonda didn't stay long enough to hear what they were saying.

"You do remember our agreement."

Hearing that nerd office assistant, Rhonda sighed. "Of course, but I have other uses for you. Just imagine what I'll give you in return. Now don't speak to me in the open. Just go away."

Making a face at her attitude he stood there watching her stride away.

XX

"Nah. That has to be Rhonda who did that." Helga told them after Curly recounted how there was a paint bomb in her own locker, and another student coming up to Nadine saying she needed make-up more than anyone else. "Tearing down her looks and than camouflaging it like she cares, but not really. All this because she wants you."

"Yeah well you can point your carrot stick elsewhere." Curly told her. "I'm not interested and Nadine has nothing to improve upon."

Phoebe smiled. "Precisely! I find Nadine to be very attractive."

Pretending she was hurt, Helga wiped a mock tear away from her. "But I thought you wanted me. What is wrong with you?"

"Oh Helga."

"No. Don't try to win me over." Helga glanced at her a little. "Oh I can't be mad at you. You are so cute."

Both smiling at the two girls on the other side of them, Ludwig shook his head. It was still so hard not to be turned off by these two girls. He told his Pastor about his problem and while he was urged to cut those urges out of his life, Ludwig just couldn't. He loved both these girls as great friends. He told his Pastor to do that would be like cutting off his limbs, so he'll have to seek another way to quell himself.

Curly tapped the table. "Well Rhonda is now at the harpy table. At least that is what Gerald calls it."

Helga nodded her head. "That is where the burgeoning popular people are born." Placing her chin against the palm of her hand, she was bored all of a sudden. "Who gives a flying rats ass about popularity except the ones with very little esteem? Think about it. It leads to all these empty accolades which really don't do much after you graduate."

"Very astute, Helga. Of course I remember you spouting this off when we were in fourth grade." Phoebe pointed out cheekily.

She shrugged. "True, but Thad and Ludwig hadn't heard of it yet. Though I have a feeling Thad knew about it anyhow. He always could figure out the seismic shift before anyone else."

"Thank you. Thank you very much." Curly winked at her before clicking his tongue.

XX

Nadine stared down at her paint stained pants. She thought about the girl who told her she needed make-up placed on her. She thought of herself going into the bathroom later on to get a couple of the more popular girls grabbing her hair to do something to it.

They made her feel ugly when they laughed.

They made her feel ugly when they continued to do things to her.

Nadine wanted to go home so she asked for a pass to the nurses office. When she got there, she told them she didn't feel well, and wanted to go home. After some trepidation it seemed the nurse allowed it, and so she left school feel depressed.

Defeated.

When she finally got home, Nadine entered her room to begin crying.

Someone let go of all her beloved insects.

Getting on her hands and knees, Nadine felt powerless.

Felt weak.

XX

Curly stormed up the steps towards Rhonda's place to pound on her door. Once the door was opened up by their butler, he just walked in. "I'm fairly certain that Rhonda is inside of her room."

"Well yes she is, but is she expecting you?" Came the careful inquiry.

"Oh don't worry Jeeves. Rhonda and myself are old friends." His footfalls ascended the stair case rather quickly. "Old friends indeed."

Remembering very well where her bedroom laid, Curly quickly made a hasty entrance not caring if she was dressed or not. Seeing her at her vanity doing her nails, Curly ran up to her before she could get up, and leave.

"Oh my, my, my look at the state of you." Grabbing one of her brushes, Curly took out her make-up kit to dab it in the most garish pink color. "The colors you chose for yourself simply just don't suit you."

"What are you doing? Unhand me." Rhonda demanded as she tried to get up, but was promptly placed down. Feeling him put the brush against her cheek and not swept up in a graceful manner, she screamed. "Oh gosh. Curly stop this now."

"Oh but my name isn't, Curly." Grabbing a very neonic appearing blue, Curly placed it on her lids. "I am Thaddeus or Thad for short. I use to go by Curly only by my friends."

Spotting what she looked like, Rhonda tried to scratch at him just for him to hold her hands down. "Why are you doing this?"

Curly gazed deeply into her eyes. "What are you trying to accomplish here by doing what you are doing with, Nadine? She has nothing been sweet to you and this is what she gets in return. You are abusing her. Harassing her."

"I'm doing no such thing." Rhonda denied.

Standing up, Curly went towards her closet knowing where her prized belongings were. "So you didn't go into her house to release all her bugs."

"I still have no idea what you are talking about." Standing up, Rhonda placed her hands on her hips.

Grabbing some of her clothes, Curly went to her window. "Talk or I'll start tossing these out."

Her throat began to constrict at the thought of her beautiful clothes ruined. "I haven't done anything to, Nadine."

With that, Curly tossed out her skirts through the window. He spotted the pain in her eyes. "Nothing? Well you still have this whole closet and I'm sure people will start to gather those clothes up."

Her beautiful clothes on street people! That would be horrible. "I'm innocent."

"So no booby trapping her locker." He tossed more of her clothes out the window. "No having random people harass her to get a makeover, and force it upon her." More clothes tossed out the window.

Seeing she wasn't talking, Curly went to the big guns. He went for her furs. Hearing her whimper as he grabbed for a pair of scissors, he poised them at the ready. "You know I'm willing to do this, Rhonda."

She could hear herself actually breathing hard. She felt herself sweating. She reached out for her beloved fur just to have it snatched away. It made her heart beat more. "Fine! I did it. I did it all. Are you happy? Please don't touch it. Please don't."

Throwing the fur at her, Curly shook his head. "Is this really because I chose her over you?" His voice more calmer.

"Just go away to your girlfriend." Rhonda snapped. "I have to go and retrieve my clothes now."

Stepping close to her, he at least had the satisfaction of watching her back away a bit. "Stop harassing her. She still cares about you."

Rhonda watched him leave, but not for long as she ran towards her window to look out to where her clothes were. She issued out another whimper. "I'll be down to save you."

XX

Holding her, Curly said all he could to Nadine as she laid on her bed just staring at the empty cages that once housed her beloved insects. Arnold, Helga, Phoebe, and Gerald were here to try make her feel better, but as Helga informed him she misses Rhonda.

"Am I sick to miss her this badly?" Nadine wondered out loud.

He kissed the back of her head. "No. You both have been friends since you were in pre-school. It is natural for you to miss her." His hand brushed against her arm. "I think she just got jealous of you."

She smiled just a little. "She really did have the hots for you."

"Well I found a girl who I am far more happier with." Nuzzling his nose into her hair, Curly enjoyed the tiny little giggle she let out. "I love hearing you laugh."

Turning around to face him, Nadine nuzzled his nose with hers. "I love hearing your laugh. Always did."

Should she admit to him that while this felt great, she still wasn't going to school tomorrow?

* * *

"Well you are doing a good job, Arnold so keep it up." Fred didn't sound all so encouraging at the present moment, but he was doing the best he could. Right now, Arnold was mostly just sweating bullets. "Perhaps we'll deal with the yoga ball. You are very good with that one."

Arnold sighed as he looked pitifully over at Gerald sitting off to the side trying to encourage him. He began the exercises that he learned just to ponder out loud. "I wish I wasn't so useless right now. My girlfriend is doing so much, and I feel like she is taking on all my responsibilities right now. I don't want that."

Fred heard every story. "You are young so don't worry about it. I'm sure she understands."

"She does, but there are times I want to pick her up."

"Yo, Arnold!" Gerald called out. "Stop stressing too much about it. That girl loves you and she knows that once you are fully better, you will be doing a lot for her. Heck! You already do."

Arnold smiled as he leaned back on the ball to balance himself. "Thanks, Gerald."

"Sure, no problem, but you do worry too much. Act like me. Cool." To emphasize that, Gerald moved out his hands smoothly.

"Whatever you say, Gerald."

XX

Helga was asked to bring in the mail to the neighbors house. Grabbing the key and taking the mail from the mail box, Helga unlocked the door to step into the foyer. Spotting a long table, she sorted the mail out. As she did she swore she smelled a strange cooking odor. She turned towards it and headed into the kitchen cautiously. She hoped that someone didn't break in deciding to squat in that place, but after she stepped in to find that pan was long since cold.

"Guess they had to leave in a hurry." She whispered as she surveyed around there.

She knew that the son was in his early teens and that their parents always had a lot of fun making him get up. Almost chuckling at the amount of times of spotting him stumble out of the house almost in tatters, Helga thought to clean up the kitchen. No one needed disgusting bugs when they got home. The family was decent enough, and their son was pretty cool.

As she did this, Brainy kept himself in hiding. His body pulsated in an energy at having her so close. If he was bolder, he could take her as his right now. His eyes scanned her backside in open appreciation even as her phone vibrated to life.

"Hey, Dr Bliss. What's the haps?" Helga inquired as she still busily cleaned the stovetop. "Really?"

Brainy watched how her body language deflate as she went to rest herself against the counter behind her. He saw how she frowned and her head bowed. He wanted to reach out to make her feel better.

Helga sighed helplessly. "Thank you for letting me know. Alright I'll talk to you later." Hanging up she began cursing continuously.

XX

"Are you serious?" Arnold inquired as he sat down rather heavily down on the bench. "No I'm not doubting you at all, Helga. I just can't believe it because I still was holding out hope."

Helga's tone lightened up some over the line. "I know and I was too actually. Right now his parents are heading down there. It is still only family only. Be happy that Dr Bliss is able to see him."

He hated this. Sid was their friend and he was too far away now for them to see. "I'm glad she is. I still want to see him when we are able to."

"I'll let you know. Right now tell me how your therapy went."

Arnold looked over to Gerald. "I'm sweating like an idiot so I'm glad you aren't here to see it."

On her end, Helga rolled her eyes. "I've seen you sweat before."

"True, but you've never seen me sweat this much before. I'm going to clean up before I get into Gerald's car. It is that bad. I can't live with myself." Arnold turned up his nose.

"Lucky for you, I can still live with you. I'm going to let you go for now. Talk to you later, Football Head." Helga said before hanging up.

Hanging up, Arnold looked up at Gerald. "Sid had a seizure and right now he has a slight paralysis because of how much he was moving around. They are hoping that with enough therapy it will work itself out."

Gerald sat down now after waiting so patiently. "Oh man! That's rough. Poor Sid. How's he taking it?"

"How do you think? He is angry that this is happening. He kinda wants to kill himself still." He stood up. "So right now he is on suicide watch."

It was heavy information to take in. Gerald frowned. "Here is hoping he pulls himself through. Once they lift that one thing up, we'll go and see him."

Arnold nodded his affirmation at that. There was so much happening during this part of the semester.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews.**

 **First note. When the Caterpillar changes into a Butterfly hasn't been forgotten about by Everclear or myself. Our friends have decided to write a chapter out for us and it turned into a mishmash of craziness. We have had a hard time editing it to the point that we are becoming insane and Everclear is dealing with a newborn, and my health is really bad. We promise we are doing our best with that story. As for this current story of mines the reason why I'm posting so much is because I already pre-written so many of the chapters way before in advance. When you see a huge delay it just means I haven't wrote anything or my health is so bad I'm either laid up or I hit a writers block.**

 **Second note. The last part of this chapter is a dream so it will be partially done in italics since it will be in lyrics.**

* * *

He was full of apprehension as he listened to what they were about to do with him. Also he was hopeful. He got what he needed from them yesterday just so he can be prepared for when he got home.

"Alright, Mr Shortman. It is time to begin." The nurse informed him as she kicked up the breaks of the bed to start rolling it along.

As he rolled out of his tiny spot he was in, Arnold found the world fading before he was woken up again by another nurse. "Huh?"

"Hello, Mr Shortman. I just need you to wake up to check on how you are feeling." She began to check him over.

For some reason he was angry at being disturbed so quickly. "Why did you wake me up? Why didn't you do the procedure?"

She smirked. "We did. We injected the epidural into your spine already." Taking a step back, she continued with that annoying smile.

His hazy eyes looked over to see a new neighbor to his other side smiling at him. After hearing from the nurse she'll give him a few more minutes, she left him be, and he almost closed his eyes. Almost till his new neighbor spoke.

"I was like you when I first had it done. It happens so quickly for you when you are under. Don't worry though because you'll feel it much later." He assured him. "Right now they want to see if there are any reactions before they can let you go. Also if you have a ride."

"My family is waiting for me." Arnold's tongue felt so weird in his mouth. "I want to use the bathroom."

His neighbor chuckled. "You were in there long enough."

"All right, Mr Shortman." The Doctor came up to him to recheck his vitals. "The nurse checked and your family is here to take you home. Are there any questions you need to ask me before you leave? Anything that you feel we haven't covered yet."

Arnold heard the wheelchair coming closer along with the nurse. "Bathroom. Need it."

Nodding his approval of that, the doctor smiled. "That is good. Now if you have any questions, please feel free to call us. We'll be seeing you next saturday."

Coming in the place of the doctor, the nurse released him from his confines of the IV. Arnold waited patiently and smiled as his mom came in to help him dress up like he was a baby again. Being wheeled over to the bathroom, he did his duty like a drunk person would before leaving happily by practically flopping in the back seat of the Packard.

* * *

Rhonda sighed as she contemplated all that she was responsible for to her former best friend. She stood before the stoop in silence. She had a huge care package in her hands as she finally went up the steps to knock on the door. Hearing the knob turn and open, she saw Nadine appear with dark circles under her eyes, and completely disheveled.

"I have something of yours here." Rhonda presented the package to her. "They were disgusting for me to touch, but they are all there."

Looking inside, Nadine spotted all her beloved babies in there. "Thank you." Her voice hollow.

Rhonda studied her intently. She wronged her own friend due to jealousy. "I would of given this to you yesterday, but you weren't in school. I called everyone off, and I want to say I'm sorry for what I've done to you. You deserve to be happy."

"I appreciate that." Nadine cleared her throat. Crying all day long from how depressed she felt. It was hard to get out of bed.

"I believe that perhaps we should remain what we are still; No longer friends." A knot formed in her throat. "I'm not good for you. I came to this conclusion myself. You have plenty of people that love you and respect you for who you are. I tried to change you into something you aren't. You don't need that, Nadine. You are beautiful and I'm sorry but I know I would continue to try to knock you down, and change you."

Nadine almost wanted to stop her from leaving her, but even she knew she was right. She just ended up turning back with her insects to bring them back in to make sure they had proper nourishment.

* * *

Lila smirked at Helga in the supermarket. Rolling her cart towards the blonde she paused as they both took in the other. Helga held a far more calming appearance compared to her old scowling one of old. Lila was far more different. Something that askewed her face in a odd way.

"Do you believe in another time, without Arnold around, we might of been friends?" Lila asked curiously.

"I hope you are just meaning this without anything contemptible." Helga stated cautiously as her voice lowered.

"No! I would never wish any harm on, Arnold. I love him ever so much." Lila smiled. "What I mean is this: What if we were in a universe where Arnold didn't exist at all? Would we be friends?"

Helga contemplated the question for some time. "Perhaps if you weren't a fake person. I would be friends with you, but if in that universe you were the same way, no." Spotting her unhappy expression, she shrugged. "You know I'll just give you a truthful answer."

"I know. The thing is that you did steal him away from me. Also you should always watch your back." Giggling like a school girl, Lila began to roll away. "Even Brainy is watching you like a hawk."

Helga was none too surprised by Brainy, but she did have to stop her. "Do you know where he is exactly? He attacked my father so I need to know where he is. He ran away from home so his family is also looking for him."

Lila shrugged. "I actually don't know. I just saw him outside that restaurant spying on you when I was there too." Feeling her hand grab and dig into her arm, Lila squeaked. "You are hurting me."

"Leave Arnold alone. He doesn't love you. He doesn't want you near him." Helga already had a dingbat of her own stalking her and now her hands were in another dingbat. "His family has already spoken to your dad. Do you want the same thing to happen again? I doubt it. So please stop, Lila." Releasing her, Helga took in a calming breath.

Her arm throbbed. "I'm ever so sorry about your dad and about Brainy's parents missing him. I could contact the police if you want about spotting a missing person. Maybe this will help. Will it help?"

"It will help some. His parents and I know my parents will appreciate it. Thanks." Grabbing her raspberries she had, Helga handed it to her. "I know you like this stuff." Giving her five dollars, she wandered away.

Looking at the fruit, Lila smiled. "Arnold will ever so love this. Thank you ever so much, Harlot." She whispered.

* * *

"Hello, Jamie-O. How are you?" Phoebe inquired of the tall male in his police uniform.

"I'm quite good, little lady. Yourself?" Knealing down, Jamie-O didn't give her a chance to even answer. "Blink once if he has you here against your will. Blink twice if he REALLY has you against his will."

"Jamie-O, will you just quit it." Gerald called out as he came into the living room. "You are supposed to be the pinnacle of society out there, and not act like a idiot."

Thwacking him on the side of the head, Jamie-O moved away from them both. "Yeah well, I just think that Phoebe here can do better." Smiling at her, he winked as he wandered away.

Rubbing the side of his head where he hit him, Gerald escorted Phoebe inside. "Sorry about him. I swear he doesn't grow up."

"Oh that's fine. At least you have siblings." Spotting Timberly coming down wearing a purple skirt and half shirt, she knew Gerald would say something to that. "Hello, Timberly. You look beautiful."

Posing, Timberly smiled. "Thank you." Sticking her tongue out at Gerald, she placed her hands on her hips. "I told you, Gerald."

Seeing more skin than clothes on her, Gerald shook his head. "I bet dad hasn't seen that yet."

"Yeah? So?"

Nodding his head, Gerald decided to call out for someone. "Hey, Jamie-O! Come in here."

Strutting back in, Jamie-O took one glance over to his baby sister. "What the hell, Timberly?! Trying to give me a heart attack? Put some clothes on."

"But Phoebe likes it." Timberly pointed out. "Why should I change?"

"Because we can practically see your and your." Grunting, Jamie-O dispersed to head back towards the kitchen.

Soon Mrs Johanssen came walking out with a happy smile on her face. "Oh Phoebe. I'm so happy to have you join us. Dinner will be on soon so why don't you get comfortable in the living room, and we'll get you some refreshments." Glancing over to Timberly her smile disappeared. "Timberly, oh no, no, no, no. No daughter of mines will be parading in an outfit like that. You march up to your room this instant and change up right now. If you don't I'll ground you for the rest of this week."

It was like her ponytail and everything fell down on her at once. "Oh, but mom."

"Don't you dare, but mom, me. March up there now."

"Fine!" Turning on her heel, Timberly stormed up the stairs taking up very heavy footfalls.

Smile back on her face, Mrs Johanssen smiled at Phoebe. "Now go and get comfortable dear."

Both snickering, Phoebe and Gerald went and sat down. "That was gold." Gerald said before giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.

"I was most certainly amused by that." Phoebe whispered.

* * *

Curly extended his hand out towards his girlfriend. He enjoyed how her white floral dress made her skin glowed. It took him some convincing to get her to go out, but here she was as her hand went into his. To hear that Rhonda not only formally apologized to her, but to really cut off her friendship siting that she wasn't good for her was an all too real thing.

"You look very beautiful in a dress." He complimented as he kissed her cheek.

She smiled. "I never got much of a chance before." Rhonda always made her feel so ugly about her choices before. "Do I really look nice?"

"You just heard me call you beautiful." Curly wrapped his arm around her waist. "Very beautiful to the point that I'm glad I'm bringing to this one special exclusive restaurant tonight."

"Which one?" Her interest piqued as she noted him escorting her to a Honda. "Is this your father's car?"

"Yes and I'm alright to drive." Opening her side up, Curly loved how graceful she was. He loved how he seemed to had himself a undiscovered flower. He just hoped she loved the surprise he had in store for her.

* * *

He woke up to some pain which obviously was due to too much freezing cold against his back. The ice pack which was a necessary item to take away any swelling after the procedure. His eyes noticed the dark skies above him before he groaned again.

"Hey sleepy head."

Arnold smiled at the voice. "Angel." He could hear her cross the room towards him. Could hear her clicking off the tiny motor that was circulating the cold water through to the pack under his back currently.

Her voice was very gentle. "Roll to the left very gently." She instructed.

Doing as she instructed, Helga removed his pack along with the towel before he rolled on his back again. "Ugh. So cold."

Smiling, Helga covered him over again. "How are you feeling otherwise?"

"I think more tired right now still." Arnold lifted his hand up to touch her hand. "Happy to see you."

"Happy to see you too." Going down to kiss him, Helga heard his stomach. "Someone is hungry."

"Just a little bit."

"Mac and cheese?"

"That sounds good."

Nodding her head, Helga grabbed the box. "I'll need to dump this water out, but I'll be right back."

Watching her leave, Arnold glanced up towards the sky finding himself lucky to have her in his life. Closing his eyes even as he heard a pair of different footfalls in his room, Arnold saw that it was his mother. "Hi mom."

"Hi. Helga is just warming up your meal right now." Scanning her own blessing before her eyes, Stella felt his forehead. "I know it is far too soon to tell how everything is feeling. So after you eat we'll brush your teeth just so you can fall back asleep. Your dad even volunteered to sleep up here in case you needed the extra help."

He didn't want to be babied. "Mom, I think I'll be fine. If you want, I'll use one of my crutches I still have in case I feel wobbly. Will that be fine?"

Thinking about that, Stella had to come to some sort of agreement with that overprotective side of her. "That'll be fine." Leaning down to kiss his forehead, she smiled. "At least you have two more after this one. Also we'll keep that box in this room out of the way in case Oskar decides to use it."

"Good thinking."

Helga wandered back in with his food and Miles behind her with the box. Coming over to sit where Stella decided to leave, Helga sat down as some cushions, and pillows were placed behind him. She waited till they were done before putting the tray on his lap. "Man! You are one spoiled, Football Head."

He chuckled softly as he ate his food slowly. "Feels good to eat. I'm just wanting this done with so I can get to working on my strength again."

"Be patient, Son. It will happen." Miles told him softly. "I mean I'm sure you want to lift up your girlfriend in your arms, but these things take time."

Laughing at the blush on his face, Helga wanted to tease him so badly. "I think he misses playing sports more than anything else right now."

There was his girlfriend saving face for the both of them.

* * *

His eyes narrowed at the Devil believing she was so clever. Snapping an image of her climbing up the fire escape of the boarding house, Brainy went casually across the street towards the pay phone wondering if it still was operational.

His eyes laid on his Deities large vehicle standing quietly out front. He lifted the receiver up to find a dial tone to it. Asking for the operator for some information he than asked to be connected to that number. Of course he had to drop in some change. Guess he had to steal some more money tomorrow.

"Hello, Mr Sawyer. You don't know me, but your daughter Lila just climbed up the fire escape of the Sunset Arms." Brainy paused slightly as he spotted her movement on the roof. "She is spying on Arnold Shortman as we speak." Hanging up, he quietly ducked into the alleyway hoping to get a glimpse of his Deity.

* * *

Removing her blindfold off her eyes, Curly whispered in her ear. "Now open up your eyes."

Doing so, Nadine gasped. "Lampyridae! Fireflies." She turned to him. "Oh this is beautiful."

Holding up his finger, Curly walked off to the car's trunk to get what he needed. He got the blanket, candle, and food. Placing it down he bowed to her. "Your blanket, my lovely lady."

Sitting down, Nadine couldn't believe what a romantic setting this was. "I'm astounded. Oh Thad."

Producing something extra from his basket, Curly presented it to her. "Hopefully you are lucky in catching a gift."

Wrapping her arms around him, Nadine grinned. "I caught my gift."

Blinking at such a sentiment, Curly took some time to place his hand on the small of her back. He honestly didn't think he could be anyones gift. "I'm glad you are happy."

Catching his wistful tone, Nadine pulled away to look at his darkened expression. "Thad?"

"It's nothing. I just never thought anyone would think of me in that way." He wanted a distraction so he began pulling the food out of the basket.

She crawled over to him stopping him from his movements. "I'm so grateful you came back. Please always think of yourself as a gift." Bringing him in for a kiss, Nadine was unaware of how many fireflies were congregating over them at the moment.

* * *

Answering the door, Miles greeted Charles Sawyer. "Hello Charles. How may I help you?"

"Hello Miles." Charles hoped this call wasn't true. "I received a call telling me that my daughter was climbing up the fire escape."

Lifting up his eyebrow, Miles told him to follow him upstairs. "As far as I know, no one has called you in here, but we'll check and see. Many times we have seen her up there spying on my son."

Charles fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as he followed the more in shape male up another flight of stairs. Seeing that it led up to the roof, Miles headed directly over to a very large skylight where he immediately lifted up the arm of his very own daughter.

"Lila Sawyer. We had a talk about this. I am sorely disappointed in you daughter." Charles told her as he went to take her by the wrist.

Immediately going into her waterworks, Lila started to plead with him. "But daddy! Arnold wanted me here. We love one another. Please don't tear us apart."

Not even swayed in the least bit by her, Charles glanced over to Miles before landing over to a young blonde whom he assumed was the actual girlfriend. "If that was so than you wouldn't be climbing up a fire escape spying on him through a window. The whole family along with him wouldn't be telling me what you've been up to." He shook his head. "What happened to you? You were such a sweet girl."

Helga watched quietly as, Lila's father was falling apart, and Lila didn't seem to care. Her attention went back down to Arnold who was thankfully sleeping away.

"I'm sorry to your family, Miles. I'll try to do a better job in reigning her in." Gazing at his daughter had him sighing. "Come with me, Lila. We have plenty to think about."

"But daddy!"

Helga stepped closer to Miles. "She needs professional help."

"Hmm." Turning to her, Miles smiled down at her. "Does he know?"

Shaking her head, she answered. "Out to the world. I'll lock up his hatch and head out of here." Smiling at him, Helga walked back towards his room.

Miles decided to head back towards the other door so he can lock it up for the night.

In the darkness of the alleyway, Brainy smirked with glee at hearing the painful yelps of Lila as she was pulled into her father's vehicle. How he pitied that man for such a devilish being. Lila tried to scratch and claw at that poor soul just to get back to, Arnold, but her father won out. Soon he spotted his Deity leaving that boarding house. She stood as pure as an Angel. How she made the darkness seem to disappear in her wake. His mouth opened in silent longing wishing to get close to her again.

* * *

Timberly was busy playing with her clothes by lifting it up over her flat stomach, but each time she did that, Phoebe noticed how casually her mother was placing it back down. Timberly was at an age of wishing to flaunt herself, while the others were busy trying to protect her.

Feeling a hand on hers, Phoebe turned her head to smile at Gerald before turning it back around to find that Timberly was trying to adjust her chest size. "Timberly!" Gerald scolded her now as he covered his eyes over with his hand.

"Man oh man, Baby sister. You want to know what kind of guys are out there looking for a girl like you?" Jamie-O rhetorically asked. "Guys I have to arrest on a daily basis. Guys who take advantage of girls all the time. Do you want that to happen to you?"

Ending her own fussing, Timberly pouted. "No."

"Good! Than stop trying to sell the farm." Jamie-O told her as he began to butter his toast. "Sheesh. You aren't three anymore."

XX

Bringing Phoebe home, Gerald apologized for Timberly. "Sorry about my sister. Sometimes I don't think she just doesn't want to grow up."

"Gerald, it's fine. She's young and finding her way. You had this time period when you thought you were nothing but this cool happening dude." Phoebe chided him happily. "At least you have siblings to be this way to. Also you can help protect her in case a guy gets out of hand." Giving him a kiss, she smiled. "You are a good older brother."

"Well I'm happy you enjoyed yourself." He blushed as he looked down to his sneakers.

There were two sides of him that she adored: The cool confident side and the completely bashful side. Sometimes they both came out to meet up to compliment the other so perfectly, that Phoebe thought it was pretty perfect. "Of course I enjoyed myself. I was with you."

"I love you and I'll speak to you very soon. I hope you have a very good night." Kissing her sweetly on the lips, Gerald enjoyed the taste of her lip gloss.

"I love you too. I hope you have a very pleasant night yourself." Moving through her open door, Phoebe blew him a kiss before closing her door softly behind her with a slight sigh on her face.

* * *

Holding her new prize in her hand, Nadine stood in front of her door kissing Curly passionately. He was the one who managed to capture her newly acquired insect in her jar. He used his old techniques of his ballet training to do it to the greatest of finesse. Something she clapped at.

"You are truly wonderful, Thad." Nadine whispered. "I want to yell that out to the world."

"No need to. I'm glad you think that about me." His finger traced her cheek bone tenderly. "I hope you have a home for that little guy already."

"I do. Thank you for getting him for me." She blushed. "I will place him next to my windowsill. It will be perfect."

"Hmm." KIssing her, Curly thought it would be great to let her go to sleep. "Good night, Nadine."

Kissing him back, Nadine smiled. "Good night, Thad."

Waiting till she was inside, Curly went to his car to head home. Once he got home, he took a shower, and went to bed. He felt slim hands roam down his body in a possessive manner immediately. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn't as a voice began to push through his subconscious.

* * *

 **~Begin Dream~**

 _All day staring at the ceiling_

 _Making friends with shadows on my wall_

 _All night hearing voices telling me_

 _That I should get some sleep_

 _Because tomorrow might be good for something_

 _Hold on_

 _Feeling like I'm headed for a breakdown_

 _And I don't know why_

Curly struggled as he opened his eyes only to find himself back in the asylum. "No. No. Why am I back here?"

 _But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell_

 _I know right now you can't tell_

 _But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see_

 _A different side of me_

 _I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired_

 _I know right now you don't care_

 _But soon enough you're gonna think of me_

 _And how I used to be... me_

"Hello? Who's here?" It was a female voice he was hearing and his eyes trailed down at the garb he was wearing. "Please talk to me.

 _I'm talking to myself in public_

 _Dodging glances on the train_

 _And I know, I know they've all been talking about me_

 _I can hear them whisper_

 _And it makes me think there must be something wrong with me_

 _Out of all the hours thinking_

 _Somehow I've lost my mind._

Curly tried to leave his room only to be blocked off by her. "Rhonda? What are you doing here?" He studied her almost shapeless gown to note how translucent it was. How she wore no underwear underneath. "Please put something else on."

The door slammed shut behind her and she removed her gown to show how purely flawless she was. Her mouth opened up.

 _But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell_

 _I know right now you can't tell_

 _But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see_

 _A different side of me_

 _I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired_

 _I know right now you don't care_

 _But soon enough you're gonna think of me_

 _And how I used to be._

Rhonda threw him to his bed instantly straddling him. She still was singing in such a dead tone. Curly tried to push her off, but she was so strong as she mounted him. Her head went back in such a happy glee. Her hips moved, and Curly was frozen.

"Now Thaddeus, you need to open yourself to new experiences. You can't run away from things that frighten you."

Curly looked past her to find, Dr Bliss sitting there casually as if nothing was happening. "Get her off me."

"Why? She is only a part of your subconscious." Dr Bliss concluded as another person entered the room.

"Thad?" Nadine entered walking closer to him. "I love you."

Curly was thrilled with that, but felt unhappy she was seeing him like this with, Rhonda. "Get off me, Rhonda." Grunting, he spotted another person sitting beside his own therapist. "Please leave, Helga."

Helga was actually donning a suit and glasses. "I see what you are talking about, Dr Bliss, he truly is manifesting so much right now at the present moment. What do you recommend we should do?"

Dr Bliss considered it for so long as she studied her subject. "Allow it to play out."

Rhonda brought herself back more as she enjoyed herself. "You are all mines, Curly."

Nadine got on her knees to kiss him. "I want you happy always."

"Oh Nadine." Curly wanted to kiss her, but began to cry out in the middle of his ecstasy with Rhonda.

Helga and Dr Bliss were making comments on the scene. "Pure denial." They both were saying.

 **~End Dream~**

When he woke up, Curly was covered in sweat. Breathing hard, he rolled up in the fetal position wondering what that was all about.

* * *

 **A/N: Unwell - Matchbox 20**

 **That song seems to be Curly's theme right now.**

 **The epidural to Arnold's discs to bring down the swelling. I had that stuff done to me as well. Series of three shots. They don't do it in one day. They did give me a box with a motor in it and a ice pack that you must freeze. There is an additional item where you place under your back and you fill the box with water. The water circulates through for 8 hours to help reduce any swelling and that anesthesia that you are still under you will be asleep mostly. Waking up feeling almost frozen to the bone is not unusual so don't consider Arnold a wimp. Because man to be chilled to the bone like that is killer.**


	12. Chapter 12

"Series of three shots. Series of three shots. Series of three shots."

Lila rocked back and forth in the corner of her closet. Her eyes surveyed what was in front of her.

"Two more shots left. Two more shots left. Two more shots left."

Her hand lifted up towards the discarded clothes he gave away for donation last year.

"We belong together."

Her eyes went up more towards the manufactured face she had to do on the mannequin.

"Three more shots. Three more shots. Three more shots."

It was an exact likeness of him except it wasn't him. Still as she undid his likenesses pants, Lila bowed down.

"Still not correct. Still not ever so correct."

She made a face as she went to stand back up. She formulated her plan with her beloved.

"We'll be together forever."

* * *

Helga studied Curly patiently as he recounted his many dreams last night. Very vivid dreams where even she had to adjust her clothes to make sure she was wearing some. Something that wasn't escaping, Curly's notice.

"Sorry I mentioned that one, but I thought you should know that you decided to perform a session like that with me." Curly informed her.

Helga focused her eyes on his art for a brief moment to get herself re-calibrated to the situation. Having sex with your friend, while acting like a therapist was just weird. "I'm certain you don't think of me like that."

Curly shook his head almost violently. "No! I mean, hell yes you are attractive, but I see you more like a sister. What is weird is to think of, Dr Bliss in that form."

Going through her memory, Helga had to push those thoughts aside. She really had to shove them aside. "I'm your friend. It usually means something you can chalk up to me having a trait that you admire or see in yourself. Is there something that strikes you about me?"

"I admire how you aren't afraid to stand up for yourself. I do like how you changed and balance yourself very well. Actually you aren't ashamed if you come off as either brash or too soft. You are a take it or leave it type of person." Curly answered very quickly.

Helga smiled at him. "You were too. Now you are a little timid at the moment, but I feel that will change in time."

"And Rhonda?"

This one Helga really didn't want to answer. "Curly, think about it. You may be in a very meaningful relationship with Nadine, but I know you still have some lingering feelings for, Rhonda."

"I wouldn't want to end it with, Nadine though. I was so tempted with her last night. So very tempted to the point that I kept staring at my condom." Curly glanced up to the ceiling. "Have you with, Arnold?"

"No. I'm not ready." Helga told him very frankly. "So why don't you talk to Dr Bliss about this. She is completely understanding."

It was still very embarrassing though to think about.

* * *

Well rested and feeling different, Arnold showered up, dressed, and walked to Gerald's house. He promised his mom not to do anything crazy so he thought he would get in a good walk. Making it to his stoop, Arnold greeted Gerald with their customary handshake.

"I can't do anything crazy." Arnold quickly informed him. "I wouldn't mind walking though if you are up for it."

Gerald was. "Sure thing. Maybe it'll help your back out some."

"I'm hoping." Taking a breath of fresh air, Arnold couldn't help but smile. "It feels good though. I wonder how it will be after the last one."

"Maybe you'll be the new superhero in town."

Chuckling, Arnold doubted that. "Lila was caught spying on me again last night."

Face palming himself, Gerald just couldn't believe that girl. "Man, that girl is certifiable. She is her own Urban Legend."

"Doubtful. The stories you tell are in a class by themselves. She is just in need of special help." Arnold couldn't help but examine his surroundings for anything, and that included her. "Well her dad was called over there saying someone told him that they saw her going up the fire escape. Thing is, no one in the boarding house called him."

"Strange. A neighbor?"

"Nah. No one else would of known who to call. I just feel bad for, Mr Sawyer." Kicking a can, Arnold almost got a thrill off of that. "He has to deal with this all alone."

Gerald had to study his best friend just to see what he was thinking. Soon he was in front of him, hands on his shoulders, intent stare, and holding him steady. "Arnold, you are my best friend. I love you like you are my brother."

"Gerald, what are you doing?"

"Stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life." Gerald wanted to shake him, but he couldn't. "I don't want you trying to help, Mr Sawyer fix Lila. It will add fuel to that fire."

He smiled. He looked down. His hands went up to place on, Gerald's forearms in assurance. "I wasn't going to do that. I was thinking about, Helga. I swear it."

Gerald didn't quite believe him. "And what were you thinking about?"

Blushing, Arnold tilted his head down. "Nothing. Just stuff you wouldn't want to hear."

"Oh yeah. Keep that sex stuff to yourself." Sticking his tongue out at that, Gerald tried to clear his thoughts of Phoebe in the same way all of a sudden.

"Can we keep walking?" Arnold was sick of standing or sitting still. He wanted to move around.

Let's go."

XX

Finally making it to Slausons, Arnold and Gerald were pleasantly surprised to find Helga and Phoebe already there. Waving at them, they both sat down in their booth.

"Hello ladies. How's the day going for you?" Gerald asked as he gave his girl a kiss.

"Mines has been very pleasant. What about yours?" Phoebe asked in return.

"Great now that I'm with you."

Placing her hand against her jaw, Helga cringed. "Ugh the sweet tooth is killing me."

"Oh quiet up, Hell Girl. You know you and Arnold are just as sickening as us." Gerald chided her as he flung a straw at her.

"Perhaps, but at least we do with more class than you, Geraldo." Flinging the straw back at him, Helga felt herself pulled against Arnold more. "So, how are you feeling?"

His nose buried into her hair. "Pretty decent. We both walked here, but I know I shouldn't over stress myself going back home."

"You shouldn't. I'll give you guys a lift elsewhere if you want with us. Go exploring." Helga suggested. "We all need a change of pace from this rat race."

Nodding their heads, they all lifted it when the waitress came over to ask if they were ready to order.

* * *

Rhonda glanced at the nerd apprehensively as he approached her. She still owed him for the favors he did for her. His complexion improved drastically after giving him something different for it. Something that would smell vastly better than what he was using before. Still as she surveyed him as he did approach her, Rhonda thought he wasn't so bad looking if he improved how he dressed, and did his hair.

"What's your name?"

"Can't keep calling me nerd?" He asked quickly back.

Oh! This one had some spice to him. "Precisely. What is your name?"

Sighing he sat down on the bench without permission. "Now my parents doomed me from the beginning with it. It is nerdy." He paused. "Wendell."

Rhonda turned slightly towards him seeing such nostalgia at that haircut. It was like Curly's fourth grade cut. Still he had more hair on the bottom than he did. Bringing her hair out, she combed it through to try styling it to the side. That wasn't bad. A tiny smile was spotted on her face. Soon she decided to just mess up his hair, and she found that his frame, along with those eyes could handle it. Going into her purse, Rhonda placed a little product into his hair.

"Not bad. Your wardrobe might need updating or at least a nice tweaking." She smirked as she stood up. "Is anyone at your home?"

"No." Wendell stood up studying her.

"Take me there. I want to see if I can figure out something with your wardrobe. I bet you can get some girls if you wanted to."

* * *

"Now here in the wild wilderness. We have the mild mannered species known as the Phoebe." Helga whispered. "You will notice her by her love of blue, her incredible wealth of knowledge, and this sweet nature." Her hands waved out in front of the guys. "But beware! In spite of this lovable nature, there is this little fighter underneath that knows how to make you immobile."

Phoebe giggled at her friend as she went to jump over towards, Gerald.

Her hands made a wide berth around his hair. "This one here. This one is something that you will spot from a mile away. Why? Well it is because of his Kid N' Play hair here."

"Hey!" Gerald patted at his hair."

"Though in truth, he settled it down, the species known as Geraldo is known to do something. Would you like to know what it is?" Jumping up on a log, Helga waved her hands up in the air as if summoning everyone around. "He calls everyone forth to hear ancient legends that he and he alone can conjure up." Jumping down with a flourish, Helga looked like a old movie starlet. "So when you hear his voice, come forth, and be hypnotized by his voice."

Jerking his eyebrows up actually not minding that, Gerald waited to what she would say about, Arnold.

Helga did a sort of ballet dance around Arnold. "This one's birth was during a volcano. It rumbled the Earth so badly. It terrified nature all around that when he was born, they said that when he cried." She went to the ground in a dramatic display. "He quieted nature. An ancient tribe was grateful to him that he became their god." She stood up. "A god with a Football Head."

Wrapping his arms around her, Arnold chuckled. "I have captured the wild Amazonian in her natural habitat. With Ol' Betsey and the Five Avengers as her body guards, she will eradicate any wrongdoers."

"The wild Hell Girl as she is also known." Gerald chimed in. "Watch out for her scream. A scream that could be heard throughout the entire jungle."

Giggling, Phoebe had nothing to add to what they said. "It is really nice out."

"It is." Arnold agreed as he alternated to now holding, Helga's hand.

"Remember the first time your grandpa took us out camping and at first we were so miserable. Than Big Bob comes rolling up with that huge RV and we go hiking with the girls. We got lost at first until we remembered what your, Gramps taught us." Gerald said as they stopped at a look out point.

He sighed happily. "We ended up having a good time after all." His eyes landed on his girlfriend.

Helga snickered. "Of course my dad didn't want to listen to you and ended going through poison ivy. The days when my dad just didn't want to listen."

"And now he does."

"Yeah." Pointing at a table, all four of them went to it to take in the sights that way for a little while.

* * *

Rhonda took some things apart to stitch them up properly fast to let him try on. Smirking at her handy work and how good he was appearing now, she let out a low whistle. "And no need to buy a new wardrobe. All I had to do was re-do things in your wardrobe."

Wendell checked himself in the full length mirror. "Is this for payment for what I did for you?"

Sitting on his bed, Rhonda shook her head. "Actually no." She felt the fabric of his comforter finding it very soft. "At first I just saw you as the stereotypical geek. Nothing much to see. Too much pimples. Horrible haircut and clothes. The more I saw you I had to wonder what you would look like fixed up. Of course that is why I gave you that cleanser to clear up your problem."

"I love how my skin felt after the first day." He told her as he decided to sit at his desk. "It is nice of you to do this for me."

Rhonda felt like she wasn't that nice given what she did to her oldest friend. "Have you ever had a girlfriend before?"

Blushing, Wendell shook his head. "No. Girls don't like how I look. So I've never been kissed."

That was rather sad. "Make a lot of money in the future and girls will flock to you." Rhonda smiled at him as she stood up. "Stand up."

Doing as he was told, Wendell was afraid of making a mistake.

It was one thing to kiss someone, but another to teach them. She knew what she enjoyed so she hoped she could convey it to him properly. "Women hate sloppy kisses. We don't like being licked. If we want to be licked on her face, we'd get a dog to do it. Women also don't like this." To demonstrate, she moved towards him with her mouth opened, lips puckered slightly, and her tongue slightly out. Reverting back to normal, Rhonda made a face. "I will tell you the amount of times I have rejected guys for doing that to me automatically."

Wendell laughed. "Well it sort of looks like a plunger. Why do you want to be plunged when you are kissing?"

"Exactly. I like a bit of a firm kiss, mixed with some give. Sometimes it is nice to be passionate with the right person, but when you are with the really right person, I will tell you that the slow passionate build is hot." Rhonda almost made a face at not remembering if she ever had one of those. She just knew they existed.

Stepping closer to him, Rhonda felt clumsy doing this with him. Placing one hand on his shoulder and the other one on his waist, she brushed her lips against him. She smirked when he tensed up in a way that she found even adorable. She had to hope that once he gained the confidence, he will still remain sweet.

Her lips pressed against his, and he wanted nothing more not to disappoint her. It felt so good as his mouth started to respond back. Slowly, Wendell enjoyed the sensation of his first kiss. He loved how she tasted even as her tongue brushed against his lips slowly. Opening his mouth felt like instinct as his tongue met hers in a slow meeting. He felt her hand move from his shoulder to his hair, and he loved that as well.

Rhonda had no clue if she was feeling deprived from having no one since Doug, but she wasn't minding this kiss at all as they continued on till she pulled away. "That was really good, Wendell." Clearing her throat, she didn't exactly want to separate from him yet.

"Do you want anything to drink?"

She smiled as her hand went to his cheek. "Do you enjoy ice cream?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

Taking his hand, Rhonda wanted to spend more time with him. "Let's go to Slausons. We can get to know one another better."

Blinking, Wendell nodded dumbly as he followed her out of his house. Was this really happening?

* * *

There was no one in the Pataki household. That much was a given and they forgot to place a camera near their precious daughters room. A room he enjoyed entering. He stepped foot to enjoy her fragrance. Her entire being that surrounded this place. He wandered over to her bed to lay on it. He imagined them both entwined as lovers would.

Undoing his jeans, Brainy breathed heavily at the very thought of her.

His Deity.

How he worshipped her.

She should always be worshipped.

Crying out his undying devotion to her, Brainy wished he was delving into her instead of imagining it.

* * *

Lila climbed the outside wall until she was in her bedroom. She knew she had such implements in there. While Rhonda may act so pristine and lady like, she wasn't. Lila knew she was a hidden freak.

So first she went through her drawers quietly and there was nothing in there, but fancy lingerie. Nothing of surprise. Lila than went under her pillow. Under her mattress as well. Under her bed. There was nothing there. Glancing towards her closet, Lila hoped something was in there. The last thing she looked forward to was heading to one of those shops.

Going into the very large closet, Lila went through everything till she found the goodies. Various sizes and shapes till the one she needed struck out. Bringing it closer to her, Lila imagined it on her fake Arnold. Grinning, she left her room the same way she found it.

* * *

Rhonda was appalled at first when he first knocked over the salt on the table just to find that he drew her own face into it. She was stunned beyond words. She didn't think a thing like this was possible, but she watched him do it.

"How long have you been at this?" Her voice was so low.

Wendell smiled. "A very long time. I have plenty of drawings of mines I use to hang up in my room since I was young. I was proud of them all. Now I even use my computer to do graphics. I also do a lot of charcoal. It is a lot of fun. People are interesting subjects simply due to all of our facial expressions. We have so many ticks."

She listened to him aptly as he spoke. "Not even nature?"

"Humans are even nature too, Rhonda. Still nature is beautiful." He smiled as he took his sundae to play with it with his spoon. Soon he turned it around to reveal a leaf.

Rhonda smiled as she tried something only to put a happy face on hers. "I'm lame and I only drive guys into poverty if they date me." She sighed.

Wendell's smile dropped. "Stop wanting the best always. A guy surprising you with a fancy meal once in a rare while sounds better than all the time. I believe it is the little things in life that counts."

She had no idea why her eyes became moist, but they did. Maybe he was just to good to be around her too. "Say things like that and I know a girl will be with you."

"What if I want to go out on a date with you?"

Her heart stopped at that. "You wouldn't want that, Wendell. I'm not a good person. I really am not." She shook her head. "I purposely drove someone to the insane asylum because it was fun to do. I bullied my former friend because I was jealous and I ended it apologizing, and quitting our friendship. I'm not a good person. You deserve so much better. You really are a nice person, and honestly a good kisser right out of the park."

He felt her being honest, and it hurt him to see her bring herself down. "Can we at least try?"

She held her ground for his sake. "Perhaps go out with some other girls and you'll see for yourself. You'll forget all about me. You'll find yourself a good girl to be with."

He saw her dragging her heels into the ground. "Fine." His attention slightly drawn to his salt drawing of her. "I will."

* * *

Monday morning everyone seemed to be buzzing around as if it was friday instead. Rhonda was with her new group as they were discussing new fashion trends till they all spotted, Wendell coming down the hallway. He was the fresh new blood. Cute and fresh, and Rhonda honestly didn't want them near him. They were blood suckers that he shouldn't be near. The girl that accidently dropped her books from her locker in her path, and apologizing profusely towards everyone, she appeared sweet. That one Wendell stopped to help, and she noticed them having an instant conversation.

After that, Rhonda left to see that she had someone tapping on her shoulder. Turning to find Curly there, Rhonda glanced down in humiliation. "Yes?"

Curly wondered what was up with that, but decided to speak. "You'll be bored with people having the same conversation as yourself."

"Curly, please after I treated you horribly and even worse, Nadine, perhaps I need to stew in it for a while." She lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Call this my asylum. I do miss the others. I honestly do, but after some soul searching in how I treated you so badly, and then her, I needed this." She smiled a bit as she came close to him. "I admire what Helga did with her life. I even admire what you did with yours. You surpassed your studies to skip a grade, and you came back. I only did one worthwhile thing this weekend for a nice guy."

"What did you do for this person?"

"Just helped give him some confidence. Hopefully he has a date with a girl for the first time in his life. He has a lot to offer." Rhonda shrugged as she turned her head to spot Wendell coming down the hall still speaking to the same girl.

Curly spotted it instantly. "You like him."

"Doesn't matter. I'm not good for a person like him." Rhonda turned around instantly to leave his side. "Tell Nadine I said hi."

Wendell paused slightly as he said bye to the girl he was talking to before walking into the same class, Curly has. Noticing this, Curly followed in after him. "That girl you were with was cute."

Sitting down, Wendell was surprised someone spoke to him. "Oh yeah. Beth is nice. She asked if I was free this weekend and I said yeah."

"What about, Rhonda?"

"Rhonda told me to forget about her. A little hard to when I wouldn't of helped her out at all before." Wendell knew exactly to whom he was speaking to.

Curly sat on the desk top next to his desk. "So you are the guy who helped her. Don't worry, I won't squeal."

"Yeah I helped. I don't have anything against you. I did it because Rhonda is beautiful and all." Wendell sighed. "She just helped me with my confidence and stuff. Still she did let me down very nicely even if she did put herself down pretty harshly."

Curly will speak to either Nadine or Arnold about this. "Perhaps just go out with this girl and see if your feelings for Rhonda are true. If this is your first experience than it is best if you figure it out."

"Maybe you are right. Maybe it is for the best." Wendell told him softly as he began to take out his stuff for class.

XX

Arnold couldn't help himself when he saw her. The moment she was in the hallway, Arnold brought her into an empty room, and they both smiled as they held the other. He slid her on top of an empty desk at the back of the room. Helga's long legs around his waist as they continued to dance.

Helga made sure the door was locked when he brought her in there, and she pushed her chest up to allow him access to touch her. His hot breath against the nape of her neck, and she was on the edge of passing out of sheer delight.

"Each day you get even more perfect than the day before. More gorgeous. Oh Helga." He breathed out as his lips captured hers again. Feeling how her hips grinded against his, Arnold groaned.

She pulled him away just to place him on the desk instead. Straddling him, Helga raked her hands against him. "You make me happy, Arnold."

Hearing the doorknob jiggle had them both stop and separate very quietly. Helga was more like a cat with how she moved away hoping it wasn't faculty with a key. They both quietly glanced around for a hiding spot for the both of them even as the knob jiggled again.

On the other side, Lila narrowed her eyes knowing very well that her Arnold was in there alone with that, Harlot. She moved her fingers against the door to scratch against it in a possessive way. She kissed the door believing that this is the very spot her Arnold touched. Her eyes seemed to light up in a gleaming sort of way as she nuzzled against the door.

Inside, Helga thought that was very strange. Even Arnold held a quizzical expression on his face. Still they didn't bother to open the door to find out who it was.

Moving away from the door, Lila will think of a way to get rid of that Harlot.

Stepping out of the room, Helga smelled the perfume. "Lila." She whispered.

"There isn't anything special about me." Arnold said in disbelief.

Turning to him, Helga felt insulted. "To say that means I don't find anything special about you. You forgetting how long I've loved you?"

"I don't mean it like that. What she is doing is delusional and borderline crazy. I hate to always say it, but it is true. With you it was different." Grinning, Arnold brought her closer to him. "I love how passionate you are at all times."

"Hmm. I'll take that for now, Football Head." Kissing him, Helga pinched his butt before leaving. "Love you."

"Love you too."

XX

Nadine went into the restroom not expecting to find Rhonda in there, but there she was. "Hi Rhonda."

"Hi Nadine." She spoke quietly in return as she put her make-up back in her bag.

Rhonda contemplated in staying in there to speak to her. She rustled through her purse to locate anything as an excuse, but all it did was make her feel lame. Still, as she laid her eyes on a butterfly clip she forgot about at the bottom of her purse. A clip she bought herself thinking it would be cute to wear, but decided against it. Rhonda took it out and wondered if it was too tacky to do that. Still as she heard the toilet flush and the door open up, she was still studying the clip.

Nadine dried up her hands not wishing to destroy her beauty routine before she heard her voice again. "What?"

She held out a butterfly clip that appeared old fashioned. "I want you to have this."

Taking it, Nadine shook her head. "You didn't need to." She recognized this clip. "Also I remember after you bought it."

Rhonda sighed. "I am not doing this out of charity. If anyone can pull off anything with insects and make it look spectacular, it will be you. It always has been. Even when you had your hair styled in a sort of interesting shaped webbed type of way." Smiling, she hoped she would take it. "It would never look good on me. I'm an insult to bugs and you know it."

"I appreciate it. Thanks." Holding it against her, Nadine watched as she begun to leave. "I actually miss you very much. I mean I'm still hurt, but other than that, I miss you."

"You deserve so much better than me, Nadine. You are special and I'm not." A tear began to slide down her cheek. "A friend wouldn't of done what I did."

Seeing her take off, Nadine felt frozen in her steps. Leaving the bathroom she went to talk to Arnold about Rhonda's behavior. About her self-punishment. Arnold could only nod at her concern before he headed in the direction of her new table.

"Hmm. This one is a pleasure to look at for sure." A brunette spoke up as she eyed Arnold like a hawk. "So hun! You want to take me for a spin or what?"

Before he could answer, Rhonda did for him. "Cut it out ladies. This one is very taken by a Senior. You wouldn't want to cross her." She warned them almost playfully. Coming up to Arnold, Rhonda asked him, "What's up?"

"Can we talk in private?" He inquired plainly.

Knowing what this was about, Rhonda nodded her head. "Sure."

Going outside, Arnold turned to her. "You have to stop punishing yourself, Rhonda. You know it doesn't do you any good."

"Arnold, it doesn't matter. Let me do this. I did something really bad with, Curly. I also did something really bad to, Nadine. Please just let me go through with this." Rhonda was practically begging.

She was torturing herself on purpose. "How have you been sleeping lately?"

Rhonda turned away from him. Was the evidence that plainly there on her? "Just please leave me alone, Arnold. Just do it."

Arnold heard the strangled voice. "Will you promise yourself to speak to someone if it gets too serious? I still consider you a friend."

A smile was so small on her face that you would need a map to locate it. "I swear it, Arnold." She whispered.

"That is all I ask."

XX

Bob stormed over to the front door to halt whomever was ringing the doorbell to death. "Criminey! Hold your horses."

"B! Perhaps you should calm yourself." Miriam suggested as she came into the hallway. "You know you can't over stress yourself."

"I know that, Miriam, but tell that to the jackass who can't lay off on the doorbell." Bob shouted back now seeing Helga coming down mid-way down the staircase. Suddenly a dark thought entered his head as he went to grab the cane from where the umbrellas were kept. No way will he be downed again so easily.

Taking a deep breath, Bob opened the door to find a girl standing there. "Who are you?"

"Hello. My name is Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd. Forgive my rudeness, but may I please speak to Helga?" Rhonda asked as politely as possible while fighting off the urge to shuffle her feet.

Bob examined her believing she was on drugs. Her hair was a bit frizzy. While her clothes appeared expensive, she looked worn. "I don't think so."

Helga came down. "Dad, I know her." Catching Rhonda's appearance, she couldn't help her blurted reaction. "Man, Princess. Rolling around on the street before getting here. I never seen you look like this since you went broke."

Rhonda sighed as she lowered her head. "May I please speak to you, Helga?"

"Sure." Patting her dad's arm, Helga had to assure him. "Don't worry. She's cool. This isn't how she normally looks."

"Yeah, well make sure she doesn't do that again." Bob grumbled out as he mostly stared at Rhonda in caution.

"Sure thing, Dad." Helga told him before she grabbed Rhonda's wrist. "Let's go."

Following her upstairs like a zombie, Rhonda didn't notice the many changes within the house as she was hauled up into her bedroom. She did however notice how her room became more grown up now. Still this wasn't why she was here.

"So I'm guessing why you are here. Little Miss Self-Punisher."

Rhonda couldn't help but think how Helga darkened her tone towards her while lifting her eyebrow up. "Well you know I haven't done anything exactly savory."

"Yes with Curly and now with Nadine." Helga sounded really very bored to Rhonda's ears now. "Seriously though give up on this self imposed bullshit that you are doing. You want to know what it does? It actually hurts more than helps. How do I know? Well I know because I almost destroyed plenty in my own life because of it."

Rhonda had a inkling she did this herself. "What did you do?"

She smiled at her as some emotion sifted back into her voice. "Make amends to the ones you wronged. If you want to do things that make you feel good, volunteer to do something more. After Arnold and I broke up, I felt lost. So after a while I volunteered at a youth group to help out there. I also helped out giving food to the homeless. There are tons of other things you can do."

"What about now?"

"I actually help out, Dr Bliss in helping to counsel teenagers or younger kids who refuse to speak to adults. It is a nice training course. Feels great too." Helga held pride within her.

She felt a little envious of her. She was doing something worthwhile. "That sounds great. I bet you have plenty open up to you."

She snickered. "Yeah and I also had one ten year old give me a blow pop ring asking me if I'll marry him." Helga shook her head. "I had to say no since it was grape."

Rolling her eyes, Rhonda rubbed her pant leg a little from the clamminess she was experiencing. "I gave Nadine a butterfly clip that I once bought myself as an offering. She already remembered I bought it before."

"Well she is bright."

"Yeah, but I was just trying in my own way." She couldn't stop rubbing her leg. "I miss her."

Helga leaned back. "Did you tell her that?"

"Well she told me she missed me and she was still hurt. I told her I wasn't a real friend. A real friend wouldn't of done that. I told her that she is special and I'm not."

Observing how she was handling herself, Helga saw her quite literally beating herself up. "That is sweet and all. It actually is, but it is hurting you still. Nadine went to Arnold to get him to talk to you. That says a lot. Curly came up to you to speak to you. What does this say to you?"

Rhonda felt lost, but not entirely. "They shouldn't care."

Standing up, Helga grabbed her by the hand to pull her to her mirror. "Look at you. I mean really look at yourself. Tell me what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror. I want to know, Rhonda."

"A selfish, spoiled brat, who doesn't deserve anyone special." Rhonda told her.

"You are so wrong. I would of told you how right you are, and you know this." Helga turned her to face her. "You are living with this regret that is eating you up so badly that you are punishing yourself. This doesn't show that you are selfish. It shows that you have this heart that beats inside your chest. You weren't thinking when it came to Curly or with Nadine, but now you are. I know you won't repeat it."

Rhonda shook her head at that. It turned her stomach to think of it.

"Than start doing things that make you feel good inside. Get away from those nimrods you have been hanging out with. The nimrods that wanted to hit on, Arnold." She bared her teeth for good measure there. "Go back to where you belong. They accepted you, Rhonda for who you are. Do volunteer work if that makes you feel better about yourself. Do something, anything to make you feel better about yourself. Just stop punishing yourself." Helga suggested.

Rhonda couldn't believe what an uplifting thing she just heard. Of course Helga was such a tough cookie, she would know how to break her own egg if need be. "I'll look into some things, but may I ask you a question about another subject?"

Helga shrugged. "Well sure."

She wandered back outside of her closet into her room, Rhonda went towards her window feeling a sort of darkness wash over her as she did that. Wishing to ignore that, she turned towards the blonde. "I'm regretting telling someone to forget about me, and go out on dates with other girls. He is this really sweet guy. Someone I know the gang would love. He helped me out with something and I gave him some confidence, and I was his first kiss."

"I take it that this first kiss was what led to how you are feeling to him right now." Helga wandered towards the window just to feel the urge to step away from it. It was the second time that night making her close her curtains.

"Yes and after getting to really know him, I found myself really liking him. I mean really liking. When he asked me out, I told him no. I wasn't anyone special. Now that I see him with someone, I'm regretting my words." Rhonda sighed as she rested her shoulder against the wall.

"Hate to say this, Princess, but it is much too early in your own therapy to be dating someone." Oh there was that look, Helga had seen from others. That almost deathly look after telling them something they don't want to hear. "Sorry, but many will tell you this."

That was surely disappointing, but Rhonda took the advice to heart.

* * *

 **A/N: It is safe to assume that Lila has done lost herself in some undiagnosed sickness. As for Rhonda she is obviously living with regret with what she has done to Nadine and Curly so she has self punished herself. First she victimized her own best friend and Curly and now she did it to herself. It won't be forever with Rhonda.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I have to say no to that Savage although that is your personal opinion. I will say I don't like Lila. Never enjoyed that character from the moment she was introduced. My very first Hey Arnold story was not giving Lila or Rhonda an evil part or even Helga being a Princess part. My Librarian story, Lila wasn't an evil person in that she was a nice girl. Rhonda was a bad girl but that was because she was jealous. Stuff happens. I don't care if I want Arnold to look at Helga that way because he should look at her in that way. I think Helga is a remarkable character. I'm not ashamed of myself. You don't need to read my story if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you so thank you for your opinion. Now please read other stories out there if you don't like mines.**

 **As for everyone else. Thank you very much for reading this and giving me awesome reviews.**

* * *

Rhonda did rejoin, Arnold's table again, but for the most part was quiet while remaining studiously examining places where she could volunteer her time. Spotting a few she felt interested in she decided to head outside to place a call to them.

Heading back inside, Rhonda scored one interview after school leading her to be very hopeful. Seeing Wendell with that girl in the hallway, she averted her eyes quickly, but it was far too late when he took notice of her. He waved at her so she had to do the same to him. Seeing the girl walk away, Rhonda wanted to keep moving till he was right there.

"Hi Rhonda. How are you today?" He wondered sweetly.

She gazed into his bluish eyes once thinking they were brown. Why did she think that? Rhonda touched his shirt sleeve tenderly. "I-I'm trying to cope. You?"

He smiled as he enjoyed how she smelled. "I went out on an early date with Beth. I was curious, and still not interested." He felt her soft touch on his arm.

Rhonda came a bit closer. "Oh?"

"What were you doing just now?" He couldn't stop staring into those dark eyes of hers. He never cared for dark eyes before, but with her he wanted to keep swimming in those depths.

"Well instead of punishing myself like I was doing before, a friend suggested that I do something different. So after school I have an interview to do some volunteer work." Rhonda felt excited again. "I really want to help out."

"That's fantastic to hear." Wendell perked up at hearing that. "They'll want you. I know it."

Blushing at how he said it, Rhonda felt her cheeks get redder. "T-Thanks"

"You sure I can't take you out." His hand went up to her arm. "It would be nothing fancy, but I would love to."

She trembled at his touch. She wanted to say yes so badly. "Oh gosh, Wendell."

He knew his answer. "Guess I'll have to wait then." Bending to kiss her cheek, Wendell raised himself up to wander off slowly.

XX

Rhonda smiled later on at her finding herself getting the volunteer job. They told her that she would be helping organize things in the back for now. It would be some clerical duties, but she didn't mind. She felt almost accomplished.

* * *

Brainy followed as closely as possible as he could without alerting her. His Deity was always great at knowing before when he was around, now he had to remain vigilant in his efforts.

He watched as she walked with, Arnold. His hand held hers possessively. Something that his Deity took to very happily.

His fists clenched so hard that he broke skin. He continued to bury his long fingernails in to the point where blood was slowly coming down. His jaw clenched. He growled. He wanted to bury himself to the hilt inside of her before Arnold did.

* * *

Sid felt a presence inside his room. A presence he did not need right now. His eyes squeezed shut from the pain he was feeling right now. He didn't need another spectator in there. A doctor was fine, but not another patient wishing to see the new person.

"Hey there." Said a much too upbeat voice.

Sid groaned. "Please just leave." It felt like a starved tiger was being let loose inside of his body. A tiger that will rip you apart.

Large blue eyes towards him along with a babyish face. He brushed his long brown hair back as he came next to him. "Wow! You might be my new roommate one day."

He closed his eyes from the torture. "What did I just tell you?"

"My name is John. I was in the same place you were in. Oh gosh I was beaten up terribly by these guys. Six of them all together." He shivered as his voice turned dark. "They did awful things to me. "Very awful things. Things I don't like repeating, but do in therapy."

Sid's eyes opened to glance at John. Suddenly his baby face melted off to turn terribly sad and aged. "How long have you been here?"

John sighed. "Almost two years." He looked Sid up and down. "I was actually in worst shape than you." Sitting on the seat nearest to the bed, John propped his leg up to lift up the pant to reveal a prosthetic. "It was done in the middle of winter. I wasn't found for two days." Standing back up, John gazed into Sid's eyes. "They buried me in snow. They not only broke my legs, but impaled me. I've had so many surgeries done on me to last a lifetime."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "You know that it is better to keep on living instead of stopping your life because of them." He suggested. "You know you will get out of here."

Sid was afraid of asking this question. "Will I be the same?"

John shook his head. "No, but to live is the best way to show them that you won. Not them."

* * *

Arnold kissed her collar bone as his hand brushed down the strap of her shirt. He made sure to leave her bra strap in tact. In some form he didn't want to do that, but he knew he could still wait.

"Arnold." She breathed out huskily.

He laid her down on his bed wishing to wash her scent all over his linens. He loved the way her golden hair fanned out. Enjoyed how she touched his skin just a bit. He undid the button of her jeans before helping her out of them. He loved watching those long legs slide out.

"You know you've seen me fully nude before." She teased.

He came down to kiss her neck. His lips traced up to kiss her lobe. "Yes, but on my bed I might not stop there."

Helga thrilled at that thought though. "I won't stop you though."

He groaned. It was so strangled as he went to kiss her as he began to remove his own clothing. Once he did, Helga flipped him on his back to remove his underwear off. "Helga."

"Shh. I didn't get a chance to look at your goodies." She grinned as she examined him closely. "Very good goody."

He chuckled at her cuteness. Sitting up to cup her face, Arnold kissed her fervently. No, he wasn't in a rush for their first time.

* * *

Curly viewed Nadine something of the pinnacle of all virginity. She has such a pure soul. A pure heart. A pure mind. Still he wanted her. It was like he wanted to wash himself in holy water just by being with her. He felt that even after she gave herself to him or anyone else, she would still remain this pinnacle.

His lips traced down her neck wishing to taste her more and more. He was possessed. He knew how he felt for this girl, and he wondered how she felt for him. In his dreams it was increasingly known how he saw her. His fingers lifted up her shirt a little in hopes she would give him permission, and the way she arched her back was permission enough.

Curly lifted her shirt over her trim frame to find himself wishing to even bow right in front of her. He brought his face down to kiss her stomach. Leading up towards her chest. He kissed over her lace bra just making out the slight color of her. What was she thinking? Soon he felt her hands on his shirt prompting him to lift his own shirt up and over.

Nadine's eyes lit up at how perfect he appeared. For someone who spent so much time in the asylum, his figure was so toned. She wanted him. She more than wanted him. She loved him. "Please Curly."

His lips now under her chin, Curly whispered. "Please, what?"

Her eyes closed from how wanton she felt right now. "I want you to be my first."

He purred at that.

* * *

Lila clawed at her attacker after he grabbed her to haul her away from the boarding house. She tried to scream at him, but he had his hand over her mouth. Now in some abandoned place she couldn't make sense of, Lila hit Brainy before hissing at him.

"The Devil speaks." Brainy wasn't harmed by what she tried to do. He almost had to laugh at what she dared to do.

"He is with that Harlot right now. So don't you dare call me that. She is the Devil." Lila spat out as she tried to make it past him only to be stopped. "Bastard."

"Keep it up, Devil." Feeling her trying to push at him, Brainy laughed till he felt a kick in his groin area. "Argh!" Grabbing at her waist he brought her against the wall. "When did you start wanting someone who doesn't want you?"

Lila wanted to kick at him again. "That's funny. When did you start wanting someone who really doesn't want you?"

"My Deity is different. She was always meant to be worshipped from afar." Brainy told her truthfully. "Arnold wanted you, but you teased him. You flirted with him thinking he had a chance, and than you snagged it away. I noticed that once he was with Helga, you acted happy, but than you weren't. I spotted you cheering once they ended. I spotted you after him. Your number one fan not wanting you hurt you that badly? You had Stinky, Sid, Iggy, and every boy around. Well not me. I had taste. Also Gerald. He knew your game from the get go."

Lila narrowed her eyes at him before spitting in his face. "Jerk."

"That's fine. Though the sewer is cleaner than you." Was his only comment before dropping her to the ground.

"She wants me to call the cops on you for attacking her dad. You are also missing. I will call the cops to tell them where you are. How would you like that?" Lila threw her head back in pride.

Brainy shrugged. "Do it. I can escape any jail. I will just run away from home. I will do anything to stay near her." He smiled with pride himself. "I always will."

"Than I will kill her myself and place the blame all on you. They will never suspect someone like me. I'm more innocent compared to you. After all." Lila smirked. "You are the reason why they have security now."

* * *

He kissed his girlfriend avidly as they both giggled. Curly thought she seemed to glow more now than before. Her hair looked a bit more wild now, and he could really see her in a humid jungle again.

Bringing her hips flush to his once more, Curly growled when she nipped at his shoulder. "Yes." He mumbled out in joy. "I love that."

She smiled as she brought her face up to meet his. "When are your parents coming back home from work?"

Glancing over his shoulder at his clock he answered. "Nine."

Seeing how much time they had left, Nadine brought him on his back. "You've been very good lately."

Letting her nip at him again, Curly waited for her next move.

* * *

On Thursday, Nadine was still in her blissful state, while Rhonda couldn't help but enjoy what she was doing at her job. Turning her head towards, Nadine had her reading something entirely to the point of her tapping her shoulder.

Bringing Nadine outside, Rhonda decided to tell her about her last two days of work. "I'm seriously enjoying myself. There are so many nice people there. Also so many that come in that you wish you can help out more. I mean it makes you change what you want to do."

Nadine was fascinated as she listened to more. "Sounds really great. Of course this is two days, Rhonda."

Rhonda got what she meant without having to explain it. "I get it. Some quit because it is too depressing. I know it is, but this is life. You taught me this a long time ago and I finally get it."

Her eyes would of widened if they weren't frozen right now. "What?"

"Arnold also did too, but you mostly." Rhonda placed her hand on her shoulder. "Kick me in the back end if I want to quit this place simply because I find it too depressing. Promise me."

Seeing and sensing the determination in her eyes, Nadine responded. "I promise."

"Good." Rhonda stepped back a bit to stop invading her personal space. "You and Curly look very happy. I'm glad for you."

Blushing at the memory of both their bodies meshing together so perfectly, Nadine smiled a bashful smile. "Thank you. I am very happy. He is such a good person."

Spotting Wendell carrying a few files, Rhonda wanted to run after him. "You both are good for one another."

"I hope so." Nadine turned her head noticing her distraction. "Just go for it, Rhonda. What do you have to lose?"

"You don't mind if I just go to him right now?" Rhonda felt unsure about leaving after trying to establish a connection with her.

Nadine held such a warm comforting smile. "No. Go for it. I mean it."

"Thanks." Placing her hand on hers, Rhonda continued her gentle hold until she moved far enough away. She went towards, Wendell as he continued to walk down the hall. "Wendell?"

Turning to face her, Wendell smiled at her happy to see her. "Hi. I'm just bringing these down to the office. How are you today?"

"Am I too late?"

"For what?" He asked in confusion.

She kissed him and her heart pounded feeling the same way as the first time she did this. Hearing something fall to the floor, Rhonda felt his arms circle around her. Feeling his response, Rhonda only heard the pounding of her heart or was it his?

Pulling away, Rhonda looked up at him enjoying the goofy expression on his face. "That's a cute look on you."

"I would love to take you out. May I?"

"Yes. I'm free Saturday evening." Rhonda answered loving how his fingers were dancing against her spine.

"Seven? I work that day so I would love to take you out to eat, and maybe a movie." Wendell loved how she was basically cuddling against him. It was pretty cute for someone that use to act so prim and proper all the time.

She kissed him before pulling away from him to bend down. "Seven is great." Picking up the files for him, Wendell bent down to meet her in the eyes. "I just wanted to help."

"Thank you."

Nadine couldn't help but to stay and watch. For once, Rhonda was acting completely different with a guy. She was obviously very into this person.

* * *

This time, Helga was at his Physical Therapy session. Arnold wasn't having nearly as much as a rough time as last weeks. Sure he was still sweating, but he wasn't giving up. Being told that it was the end of his session, he went to go and clean up.

As for Helga, she wandered around the room until she decided to look out the window. She watched the cars passing by below. The birds flying by. A random plane in the sky. All were silent but her breath against the window pane. Feeling his hands on her shoulders. Seeing his reflection in the glass, Helga leaned back.

"My Football Head." She breathed out in satisfaction.

"My Angel." His kissed her earlobe. "Wanna leave?"

"Yes." Taking his hand, Helga happily left by his side.

* * *

Saturday

Arnold was passed out to the world still from his procedure. His second shot. Grogginess was still with him even after he woke up to accept food so he kissed, Helga good night, and went back to bed. His dreams consisted mainly of her at first until they turned into something he couldn't stand. Something he couldn't quite describe. He just knew he didn't enjoy it.

Waking up, Arnold opened his eyes slowly to take in the brightness of the sun. He could hear the cars above. He could hear the birds chirping as well. He could also smell the strong scent of freesia in the air. That had to be his imagination. As he moved around, he noticed he was naked now when he was fully clothed before. He also felt an extra bit of weight beside him warning him to turn his head.

"Morning sleepy head. It is an ever so beautiful morning today. How did you sleep?"

Arnold slid out of his bed horrified that Lila did it again. His eyes went up towards his hatch to find it partially open. His eyes went towards her to find she was naked as well. Moving to grab his boxers he caught sight of something on him.

Lila beamed as she moved his linens down. "I believe we need to change your sheets, Hun."

His eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared at it. Hearing the door open behind him, Helga came wandering in carrying a tray. "Helga."

She caught sight of Lila lying there wearing a smile she wanted to wipe off. Helga saw the blood on Arnold's bed before shoving the tray at him. Turning around, she left as quickly as she came.

Arnold came running downstairs to catch Helga, but Helga brought him quickly into an empty room. "Helga, thank goodness you didn't leave-" Feeling muted by her hand on his mouth, Arnold's eyebrows lifted up.

"She's a moron." Helga whispered as she pulled away. "A sick one at that." Hearing extra footsteps come up those very same steps, Helga waited with baited breath.

Arnold waited as well as he heard both his parents begin to yell out. He felt guilty, he felt questions build up as Helga kept him there. His parents were stressing out while he was down here with her.

"Trust me." Was all Helga told him.

Upstairs, Stella refused to believe the red head as she kept telling her about the night she shared with her own son. She spotted something strange in her story, but didn't utter it out loud even as Miles contacted, Lila's father about her. "We warned you about coming here, but you won't listen. We hope that you really do get help."

Lila pressed her hand against her stomach. "But I feel life already about to sprout inside of me. We'll be family. You can't separate me due to that."

Miles almost vomited at that information. "Over my dead body." He murmured as he heard, Charles Sawyer come back on the line. "Get your daughter and get her now. This is the last straw now." His voice firm.

Back in that empty room, Arnold wandered over to the door. "Do you have a clue what is happening to her?" He whispered.

As far as what Helga and even what Dr Bliss could figure out without talking to, Lila in whole, she either suffered a psychotic break, or is Schizophrenic. "She needs professional help, Arnold. This is all that, Dr Bliss and I can figure out about the girl."

"You believe me that nothing happened than."

She smiled. "Of course." Helga sighed. "Arnold, if you wanted her you would of had her a long time ago. I trust you."

He came closer to her, but stopped feeling suddenly dirty. "She still dirtied me."

Her smile disappeared than. "Yeah. Not your fault."

XX

Brainy watched the spectacle in all its glory. While he didn't enjoy being forced to move out of state in the first place, he would never do what Lila was doing. She quite literally sliced her father's arm with an razor blade. She ran off down the street as, Arnold's parents tended to Mr Sawyer.

Seeing Helga coming out of the boarding house with all the ruckus, Brainy's breath caught in his throat. Such perfection was his Deity. He saw her lift her phone up to call someone as, Arnold came down the stairs with a first aid kit.

"You are nothing but the Devil, Lila." He let out an uneven breath as he watched his Deity rush down the steps towards the others. That blonde hair flying behind her. There was nothing but perfection there.

* * *

Wolfgang witnessed the wild within his own bedroom. The once pristine feminine girl looked more like a wild beast herself. Her hair was overly frizzed out. Her dress had some, what he could assume, to be blood splatter on it. She held a knife in her hand as she stood there.

"What now? I gave you what you wanted."

Lila was mumbling to herself before the voice she spoke in wasn't truly sounding like her. "He'll be all yours now."

Wolfgang stood back now wishing his own parents were home. The girl didn't sound like a girl anymore. "Yo! Uh, Lily?" So what if he forgot her name? She offered one thing to him and that was it. "You have to leave."

Her face turned in such a sickening way that he knocked himself into his own doorknob. Never had he felt a fear. "Leave." He repeated. "I'll call the cops."

Lila launched herself at him.

* * *

Charles Sawyer was in shock. His sweet innocent daughter. What happened to her? Where did she go? Why did she attack him? Staring at the Psychiatrist speaking to the blonde teenager named, Helga, Charles listened before speaking.

"She locks herself up in her room. When I do go in to speak to her, she is often sewing." Charles told them. "I don't know what to tell you."

Dr Bliss came closer to him. A single father at the end of his rope. "So no signs at all." She stated. "I can tell you do everything for her."

"Yes. I love her very much."

Helga frowned as she averted her eyes from the scene. It actually broke her heart to see that man like that. "I feel bad for him." She whispered to Arnold. "I know he is a good man."

"Yes. Family genetics?" Arnold figured. What did he know?

Dr Bliss came up to Helga to pull her aside. "He has given us both the okay to look around their home for anything to give us a hint until she is found."

Nodding her head, Helga went to Arnold to tell him she was going with, Dr Bliss. "Love you."

"Love you too. Be careful." He told her as he gave her a kiss."

XX

They thought it was better to split up inside the house. Dr Bliss wasn't a stranger in doing this. As for Helga she felt strange standing inside, Lila's bedroom. She placed her gloves on to slowly begin rummaging through her room just to find too many pictures of herself being stabbed, or drawn on.

"Well this is worse than what I was." She placed those aside for, Dr Bliss's viewings. "Sure I tried to sabotage their date, but die bitch die?"

Sighing she went towards her closet to open it up. Nothing but clothes so far until she went further to find something far more different than she had in her own closet a long time back. A almost very lifelike Arnold with a penis.

"Ugh." Turning around, Helga found herself face to face with a crazed Lila striking at her. "DR BLISS!"

Feeling the kitchen knife go through flesh, Lila smiled sickenly before turning away fast to rush out the window.

Running inside the bedroom, Dr Bliss gasped at seeing Helga holding herself. "I'm fine. I'm fine. She just ran out of here." Helga was sucking in several breaths trying to steady herself.

Picking up the phone, Bliss called for help. Making sure to keep a watch out on Helga, she couldn't help but glance around at the evidence that was inside this room. This will need a lot of collecting.

XX

"Dad, I'm fine." Helga informed him as he continued to worry. Holding her side where, Lila struck at her, she was lucky it wasn't deep. "Seriously."

Hearing her calming voice, Bob turned to her as his large hands practically engulfed her face when he cupped her between them. "I just don't anything to happen to my little girl. You hear me? Nothing."

She appreciated those words so as she gently removed his hands off her, Helga smiled at him. "I'm fine. It could of been a lot worse."

Miriam was standing there chewing at a hangnail. It was her way of coping instead of rushing out to drink. Her daughter being stabbed by some lunatic that she knew. A lunatic that once use to come over to visit their older daughter. Miriam suddenly rushed over to hug her. "Oh my little girl."

Helga patted her mom on the back figuring she should just get use to this. Seeing the nurse come back in with the release papers, she was very willing to sign them just to get out of there. Of course she knew nothing was over with by a long shot.

As she left from the back to be now greeted by the Shortmans, Helga smiled at them all. She smiled at Phoebe whom she could tell did cry. "I'm fine everyone."

Arnold pulled her away. His face was very grave as he delivered the news. "They rushed in Wolfgang for surgery. He mentioned that Lila was the one who did it."

* * *

Just like he can sniff out purity, he can sniff out evil. He had more of a certain calmness to him as he continued to walk down this ugly under path past the others down there. He could sense their fear, and it wasn't because of him. They glanced the other way even though they didn't need to. Brainy knew where to go.

Silent.

He could hear her huff out ahead.

He continued to keep moving silently.

And she was now mumbling something while scraping something sharp against stone.

He narrowed his eyes. To hear his Diety cry out in pain hurt his heart.

"You will follow me and only me."

Brainy paused as he listened to her voice. It truly was different. He knew it was her, but it was a psychotic break obviously. She had multiple personalities. That explained how she looked when he saw her so close up.

There was a painful yelp and crunching sound telling him she harmed someone else. Brainy clenched his fists. All of these people down here were good. They didn't want to be here.

Suddenly she was crying. "All I wanted was his baby. His love. All he wants is her. Still he just had something done to him and couldn't get hard." She whimpered. "He probably would for that tramp."

A high pitched wail was heard from her as another voice came from her. "Oh the look on her face when I stabbed her. It was more fun than stabbing that Wolfgang."

Brainy spied how she was and witnessed how one of the homeless people was huddled in a ball afraid for their life. She began to pace. The girl that first came to Hillwood no longer existed.

Lila tugged at her hair as she narrowly missed herself with her own knife. Her voice became like a baby. "I went stabby, stabby on him. He he he he." Rushing down to place her knife close to the scared witness, Lila grinned. "I might have Wolfy baby insteady of Arnie baby. I wanted Arnie baby. Trampy will have Arnie baby."

Silent as death, Brainy approached her.

* * *

 **A/N 2: Look up Mental Health America in case you need more information or at least question a health provider if you know someone who is in need of special assistance. I know that I am writing a story because I love writing, but I do write with an underlying message. Lila obviously has deep psychological problems that have gone undiagnosed for a long time which needs help. It truly isn't her fathers fault due to him being a single father nor is it really hers. Some people just know how to mask it well enough until it reaches a boiling point. I've met people who hid it well until they couldn't anymore. They became a danger to themselves and others for something that was untreated for so long. It happens to many good people.**

 **Also about writing her like this when people do all sorts of things to Helga's character so think about that one before writing a review. Lila either gets two things: The ultra sickening good girl role or the bad girl role. As you can tell I'm a bit upset right now.**

 **So as I said earlier, if you don't like what I'm writing, than simply move on. I'm a great believer of if you don't have anything good to say, than don't say it at all.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I want to hug you guys. Diamondiva, SexyChief, Princess, Yali Page, A Lovely Gemini, Smckoy, Block Party Master you have no idea how your reviews made me feel. Thank you. I really appreciated your words. :) You all get cookies.**

 **I didn't edit this chapter so please forgive any problems within it. My sweet little bird that I've had forever is in the Vet hospital for a second day in a row so all I've been thinking about is her. I haven't been without her at all since I've had her and if I'm away from the house for an extended period of time she is normally with another family member. This is the first time in her life she is with strangers. This is also the very first time she has been sick. I don't treat her like a pet. I treat her like my child and she treats me like her mom. Even my boyfriend misses his adoptive daughter. My parents miss their granddaughter a lot. I want her back with me. I love her so much.**

* * *

She was strung up for the cops to easily gather. Brainy felt very amused from his position as he watched her struggle against them. Watched as she spoke in tongues as they brought her down. He loved when they gave her rights as they handcuffed her. This was his moment to leave before she spoke about him. He did it for the ones down there.

He did it for his Deity.

In his mind, she was smiling at him. Telling him how much she was pleased by him.

When he reached his temporary home, Brainy was hunched over sketching his love nude over and over again as his eyes continued to go over towards her window. His beautiful Deity dressed in a light blue dress. She was most likely going to see him. Suddenly his heart clenched. It hurt.

* * *

Stella was reviewing the file of the young man who was brought in the same night, Helga was in Emergency. She reviewed it heavily with a heavy frown on her face before getting up to head towards his room. He truly suffered severe damage to his spinal column due to, Lila attacking him. According to Arnold and Helga, Wolfgang had been a lifelong bully, but even he didn't deserve something like that.

Why would they even say something like this so easily?

Simply because they spotted the occasional kindness from him. Kindness that seemed to overrule any type of hate they should of had for that boy.

Walking into the room, Stella still couldn't believe he was a teenager. He seemed more like a boy in his thirties with how large he was. Still there was a vulnerable edge to his face as he peered out the window.

"My mom left crying when she heard." He told her softly when he spotted the doctors uniform on her. "Am I really not going to walk again?"

Stella came closer to him. "Yes. I'm sorry to say it is true."

"That crazy bitch. I really wish I never did anything with her." Wolfgang hit his bed with his right fist. "She wanted it so badly. She was so crazy that day. After we were done she rushes off saying she needs to visit her boyfriend."

Stella listened. "How crazy?"

"She wanted me to get her pregnant." Wolfgang huffed at that. "I told her sure, but I put a condom on anyhow. No way I want a girl pregnant." Another girls head floated into his line of vision. Someone that wasn't so bad to think about in that way. "Not yet anyhow. Still after it was done she was satisfied and left."

Inwardly, Stella shook at how disturbed this girl was.

* * *

Helga needed to calm her best friend down. Too many variables were going through her brain already ever since she was attacked by Lila, and Helga knew that her friend was like the Energizer Bunny on crack once she got her mind going.

Hand on her temple to ease the throbbing, Helga spoke in a calming voice. Well she hoped it was calming. "Seriously, Pheebs, relax. I'm fine. The only thing that I wish I could of done was punched her, but I was simply taken by surprise by her sudden appearance."

Yeah that didn't help matters. Phoebe stood up waving her arms around ready to take off. "This is precisely my point, Helga! It would of been much worse if you would of done that and I would of lost my best friend. Don't you take these things seriously?!"

Her eyes went wide at how Phoebe dropped on her knees in front of her. She felt her hand grabbed hard. "Phoebe."

She was going to cut her off from speaking. "You are my sister. My best friend. You are going to be my future God Mother to my child, you understand? If something were to happen to you I don't know what I would of done."

With that her head was resting in her lap. Helga moved her hand gently in her hair. "I'm sorry that you were worried. I really am."

Lifting her head up, Phoebe smiled weakly. "I'm sorry I'm being so dramatic."

"Eh, just remember how I use to be so dramatic. Call us even." Helga told her just waving it off.

They both fell into silence before Phoebe spoke up again. "I feel so bad for, Mr Sawyer. What do you think will happen to him now?"

Helga let out such a heavy sounding sigh. "Dr Bliss told me she'll be helping him out free of charge. Even she felt so bad for him."

"Well that's good, but still." Phoebe didn't have anything great to add to what she originally intended to say. "I'm sorry, I have nothing."

"We don't have a bunch to say and I'm the one cutting into this profession. You will become this world famous scientist that discovered the cure for cancer." Helga informed her.

"Well I'll try." Phoebe blushed. "I might be able to discover a truly fat free dressing for salads that is actually tasty."

Screwing her eyes up at that thought, Helga shrugged. "Go for it."

* * *

They all had to give a report at the police station. Arnold felt like soon they would be charging him rent as he sat there giving his statement. It was a long one too. Too many details of what Lila has done. What she has said, and the amount of times she had been caught spying on him. Arnold felt tired as he came out of the room to face, Helga.

"Angel." He breathed out as he went to hug her. "How is your side?"

"It's fine. Better than giving out a statement." As she said this they heard screaming throughout the hallways.

"I'M GOING TO KILL HELGA PATAKI!"

Arnold and Helga were immediately escorted away nearer to the front of the building. Helga felt him become extra protective of her after that latest threat. She felt the bars being raised up around her to insure her safety. It was the way he was holding her. The way his head remained turned in the direction where, Lila was obviously held.

She touched his shoulder gently. "Arnold, please don't worry about me." She spoke gently into his ear. "She is very secured tightly in that room."

Still, Arnold couldn't relax. He had horrible images of Helga bleeding out and dying when he was informed she was rushed to the hospital. His love was hurt and he wasn't there to protect her.

Helga couldn't take this anymore as she turned him around forcibly. "Stop. I'm safe. Can't you see that?"

He stared at her as his family started to join in after finishing their own statements. Arnold reached out to take her hand. "I do, but I can't help but worry." His eyes became moist. "I keep thinking of, 'What if?' I just got scared."

Helga cupped his face. "But it didn't happen. I got lucky." Giving him a little kiss, Helga smiled. "I'm happy that you are worried, but you can't be always like that."

"I can't help it, Helga."

His family stood there patiently waiting for them to finish. Their worried son and his girlfriend just trying to keep him steady. Miles felt this way whenever he got that way. Stella was his rock whenever things got out of hand. He was even sure that his own father thought this when his mom had to do this too. In relationships, someone always ended up being the rock in it.

"Who says we should get home? It already feels like a long day." Stella suggested.

Arnold agreed as he took Helga's hand. "I agree. I want to get out of here."

* * *

"We transfer her immediately. She is a danger to herself and to society." Dr Nugent informed Dr Bliss as they continued to examine Lila on the other side of the mirror.

Lila's once vibrant healthy hair was nothing but, anymore. Her eyes were wild. Her fingernails were ripped off quite literally at some point. She spoke in tongues. She talked in different voices. She spit at anyone who came near her. She bit at others.

"From all the reports that I have received, this patient has never been like this before. She acted very pristine and proper from the start. Still only one person knew it was an act." Dr Bliss formed a thin line with her lips. "She just didn't think it was anything like this."

"This is the one she stabbed?"

"Yes." Dr Bliss turned to face the other doctor. "I'll be helping her father out." She continued to glance at her paperwork as she sighed. "You'll need to take a pregnancy test to confirm something for us."

Dr Nugent felt agitated about that one. He hated doing those. "We will. I doubt it is from the one she had set her sights on. She had sex with another male shortly before arriving there. According to the mother of the one she is in love with, the one she paralyzed wore a condom. It is doubtful, but we'll confirm."

"I appreciate it."

* * *

Wolfgang sighed heavily before hurling something towards, Ludwig's head. "Man! I'd rather see the hot doctor again instead of your ugly ass mug here."

Picking up the large pad of paper without feeling any insult, Ludwig placed it aside. "I'm happy to see you again." His tone much more gracious than that sentence gave away. "I came to see a former friend."

"Than visit them. I don't want to see you."

Feeling such hatred from him, Ludwig was still undeterred. "You are the one I came to see."

Pulling his pillow away from the back of his head, Wolfgang placed it over his face. All he wanted to do was now remove the oxygen from his lungs. "I don't need you preaching to me so go the fuck away."

"I won't preach to you, but who else is visiting you besides your parents?"

That was a brick wall that landed on him. "None of your business."

There was his answer. "What would you like to speak about? I'm game."

Removing the pillow away from him, Wolfgang grinned. "How about that hot blonde you hang out with. Tell me something. Have you had any fun with her?"

"Helga? No. She is my friend and she is with Arnold." Ludwig sighed. "Women are not playthings, Wolfgang. She is incredibly intelligent."

"Well yeah! Still she is a hot thing that I wouldn't mind having." Feeling the hard stare from his former friend, Wolfgang felt deflated once more. "Forget it. As it is, who will want me now?"

"Don't sell yourself so short. Not many people are shallow." Ludwig stood up. "Like you." Before he could offer an argument on that, he continued. "Every girl you have been with has been for lack of better terms; Pretty but stupid. That has always been your type. It is like you just don't want anyone else in your life. For me, I want someone that I can be proud of. The girls I use to be with weren't those types that I was proud of."

"Weren't you with that cute, Phoebe?" Wolfgang inquired as he thought about the miniature version of a hottie.

Ludwig smiled. "She is someone I'm very proud of. We are still friends. That is the sort of a girl I will keep aiming for."

He thought about it a bit till he let out a huff of air from his very lungs. "I hate you."

"I'll still visit you."

"Stubborn ass."

"You have a lot to learn, Wolfgang. You can't be a child forever." Ludwig will never lose patience with him.

So he was his captive now. Wolfgang was greatly displeased by this. "Next time send Helga in here. I enjoy at least listening to her voice."

Ludwig wouldn't dare to validate his response. Of course if Helga was here he was sure she would of decked him out for being a prick.

* * *

On Monday, Helga didn't let anyone know how deeply stressed she had been. The nightmares. The constant feeling of someone staring at her while she slept. She always woke up wishing to hide away in her parents room, but knew that was foolish. She wished that Inga was there, but seeing that her father was now better, she left to a new assignment.

She missed the woman.

Funny how she was so rude to her when she was much younger, and now as she was older, Helga appreciated her. When Helga got home, Inga and herself would speak a lot, and now she was gone.

So on this monday she headed to her locker almost like a zombie. She was normal around everyone else, but once she was away from them, Helga ended up becoming a zombie. Her hand lifted up to enter her combination in and opened up her locker just to have thousands of miniature dolls fly out to the ground.

She was stunned as she slowly went down to pick them up. Vaguely she heard someone say her name as she examined them. She turned towards, Arnold in question.

"Did you have something to do with this?"

Arnold shook his head as he took the doll to examine them himself. "I had nothing to do with this." Taking a closer look at the figurine he noticed how much it looked exactly like her.

Helga grabbed the dolls to instantly throw them away. She had this sick feeling in the pit of her stomach where it came from. She listened to them try to ease her mind from worry, but the moment she got home, Helga fell right on her knees. She loved Arnold for immediately placing some paper over the drawing of her breasts.

She listened to him speak to 911 as she noticed something over on her bed. She swallowed hard as she went to grab some gloves to pick it up to read it. As she suspected, it came from Brainy.

 _To my dearest Helga,_

 _You may still hate me for what I've done to your father, but I had my reasons._

 _Reasons that are the very same same for me to leave my own family behind._

 _I know your father would want to separate us, just like them._

 _I know he doesn't object to HIM._

 _Still I know he could never draw your exact likeness like I can._

 _Did you enjoy what I placed in your locker? It took me a long time to make._

 _I know I can draw you with my eyes closed._

 _I'm certain I can do the same when we make love._

"Argh!" Helga ripped off her gloves to move away from the letter. It was as good as poison to her. She stared up at the drawing. "They are going to see this!"

Arnold rushed to her side to calm her down. "I know that, but he broke in, Helga. Look at the video feed." He pointed at the computer.

Her head slowly turned towards her computer to find an image of Brainy waving into the camera. "That sick fuck."

Holding her, Arnold heard a knock at the door followed by the sound of the cops announcing themselves. He watched Helga panic as she wandered towards her window with her hands on her head. "I'll get it. Maybe you should call your folks."

She stood there completely unaware of how, Brainy was watching her currently from the vacant house. While she was worried, Brainy was proud of his handy work.

"Soon my lovely, Deity." He promised her.

XX

Helga quickly repainted her wall the moment they told her it was alright to. Both her and Arnold were painting quickly as she wanted him to. Of course what she didn't know was that Arnold didn't need any coercing. He obviously needed to remove this image away for her own sake. Once they were done, Arnold quickly wrapped her up in his arms.

Her hands clasped at his shirt as if she was about to drown. Resting her chin on his shoulder, Helga could vaguely hear her parents speaking downstairs. She closed her eyes from the pain she felt. The pain from seeing her parents so worried about her.

"What if he attacks my dad again?" Helga whispered in fear her parents would hear.

His hand ran down from her head to her spine. "I'm hoping he doesn't. I'm hoping they catch him very soon."

She felt like she was bait. She was the one he was after. Still this was so hard to verbalize.

* * *

The wooden pew was to the point of ruin that you had to be careful when you sat on it. Currently he sat on it not caring as he stared ahead. Footsteps were heard entering behind him. He wasn't worried, Brainy knew who this person was.

"She's still there with him."

Brainy nodded at that report. "Appreciate it."

"She's perfect to worship."

Brainy knew that. He always knew that. It didn't need to be verbalized out loud at all.

* * *

Arnold wasn't a creeper by a long shot, he was merely concerned for his girlfriend's safety. Still he couldn't get the feeling out of his head that her family truly wasn't alone so he logged into his computer. Waiting for it to boot up, Arnold breathed in and out before he logged into her security cameras.

He stood up to contact her just to get her weary voice. "Helga, stay right where you are. I'm contacting the police."

"What?" Her rushed whispered voice sounded out in a panic. In the darkness of her room she heard a creaking. Her eyes had gotten bigger and she knew it wasn't her parents. "Arnold."

He heard how her panic turned to fear. "Wait on the line and I'll contact the police now."

Helga heard the line go silent prompting her to leave her bed quietly as she spotted a shadow at her door. Her heart was slamming against her chest wall. She will beat him up if he dared to come in. She prepared herself even as Arnold got back on the line.

"They're coming, Helga." Arnold couldn't hear her except her heavy breathing. "Helga?" Glancine at his monitor he saw that Brainy was right at her bedroom door, he instantly switched lines. "He is at my girlfriend's bedroom door. Tell them to get there now." He switched back. "Helga?"

Helga could barely hear Arnold over her own heart beating. All she could hear was how her heart was inside her own ears. Soon the doorknob began to twist. "Shit." She whispered.

Hearing the door being forced open downstairs along with rushed footsteps, and the announcement of law enforcement, Helga heard her parents getting up. She heard Brainy making his escape naturally as a cop came into her room.

"Shit! I live here." Helga announced as the cop had his gun drawn on her.

Placing their gun back in their holster, they came up to her cautiously. "Are you Ms Helga Pataki?"

"Yes. Are my parents all right?" Helga inquired. As if on queue, her parents came rushing into her bedroom. "Next question; Did you catch Brainy?"

"We are still in pursuit, Miss." He answered as he remained nearby to keep guard.

Bob decided to speak up fed up with all this bullshit. "For now on I want my daughter to be kept watch on. If this asshole is after her, I am sure as hell refuse for her to get harmed by him." He stepped between her and the police officer.

Helga felt speechless as she watched both her parents take up the lions approach in protecting their young. When she was young it was always her protecting herself. Now here she was being protected by them finally. "Arnold, I'll talk to you soon. I love you. Thank you for calling the cops for me."

Arnold could hear her stunned voice making him wish he could see this stunning display now. She told him that she wished that they could love her like they loved Olga, but she felt it would never happen. Now everything was happening for her. Arnold was extremely happy for her, and he wanted her to keep being happy.

Now Brainy was trying to destroy it and he was damned if he would let him do that to her.

* * *

 **A/N: Be happy that Arnold had a bad feeling something was about to happen and alerted Helga and the police about Brainy.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I really can't apologize for not posting so quickly due to me losing a loved one this week.**

 **So there is no editing of this chapter. This is just me putting it out there.**

* * *

Phoebe jumped out of bed once she turned off her alarm. Heading to the bathroom to take her shower, she than got out to head to her bedroom. Moisturizing make-up, Phoebe went into her closet to change. She thought of her assignments. She thought of her friends. Thought of family. Thought of her boyfriend. That last thought brought a sweet smile to her face.

After she changed into a light blue blouse and skirt, Phoebe exited her closet unsuspecting of the hit she experienced against the back of her neck knocking her out instantly.

Brainy frowned down at the petite girl hating to do this to her. Helga loved her just like a sister. Still since he was stopped from taking his prize last night, Brainy needed to let his Deity know that soon he will need her.

Crouching down to pick her up, Brainy was kicked in the groin by her. He looked at her in surprise as he saw Phoebe instantly get up with her eyes narrowed, and ready to attack again. He jumped back when she went at him once more as she called out for her parents to call for the cops.

"Give up, Brainy. You should go back home to your parents." Phoebe informed him as she tried to knock him down, but he managed to rush away to her window. Was he really planning on jumping from a high height?

Brainy threw a trophy at her to deter her as he lifted the window up. Without a word he jumped out making sure to land loosely.

XX

As for Helga she arrived at Phoebe's house seeing the police at her house. Parking her car, Helga rushed up to her house to instantly hug her friend. With her own crazy night, Helga had a feeling this involved Brainy.

"Brainy tried to obviously kidnap me." Phoebe told her as she turned around to show her the bruise behind her.

Looking at it, Helga growled before turning her around again to hug her friend once more. Now he is after her best friend. "I'm gonna get him."

XX

It had to be special permission but at least they got it. Arnold and Gerald smiled at seeing their girlfriends sharing the same lunch time with them. All four of them decided to head out close by just to spend time together and chat.

Gerald did have his stomach twisting into knots. Brainy came to attack his girlfriend. He came to take her away simply because he wanted to lure Helga to him. What kind of sick freak did he become? His hand held hers as he gave her a comforting kiss on the cheek. He loved her so much.

As for Arnold, his hand went to Helga's. It was really hard to form any words right now. All he had was hatred for Brainy. Hearing Helga suck in a breath before snagging her hand away, Arnold had to apologize. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

Helga had a feeling what he was thinking about. This wasn't like him at all so she knew it had nothing negative towards her. This was all about Brainy. Bringing him in for a kiss, Helga kissed him. "I know where your mind is, Arnold."

If he wasn't in public nor around his friends, Arnold would of grabbed her, twirled her around, and kissed her for hours on end. "I just want you safe always."

"I know and I love that about you." She said softly. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Helga turned her attention to their friends. "What?" She asked in a tone of voice not so soft.

Gerald snickered. "Man, Pataki how much of your younger self would smack you for getting soft right now?"

Phoebe pinched him prompting him to yelp. "Rude, Gerald. Helga has always been a very passionate person."

Smiling at her friend, Helga turned almost wicked towards, Gerald. "Want me to show you how passionate I can be, Geraldo?" She teased.

Very quickly, Gerald grabbed his burger to bite into it. He wished to dispel any thoughts of Helga being passionate with him. Feeling Phoebe's hand on his leg had him quickly thinking about her instead.

* * *

The Orderlies ran after the crazed red head as she made a run for it. They wondered how she got out of her own straitjacket. She managed to scratch up each patient and Nurse she came in contact with before she found her way out of the place.

Screaming, Lila soon quieted down wishing to make her way towards her, Arnold. She knew he was missing her. Knew that he wanted to see his child soon.

"I'm coming. I love you ever so much, my love." She swore.

* * *

Iggy jumped in shock at seeing Brainy. The way he looked so vastly ravenous in his eyes as he eyed, Helga in a sickly fashion had him tip toeing away. There was an alert saying that they were to contact police about him, and the way he looked at her, Iggy knew it wasn't safe.

He tiptoed away as quietly as possible until the foot in his ankle decided to produce a sickly pop. Iggy felt that no one could hear it, but the way he turned his head towards, Brainy it was apparent he did.

"Oh, hi, Brainy." He greeted hesitantly.

Brainy turned towards him before he disappeared into an alleyway. It was a strange sight to watch him disappear into the darkness. Iggy felt weirded out to the point he ran off and contacted Arnold. While he still didn't like him for that incident a long time back, Iggy still was making amends.

"Hey Arnold. Oh god. Brainy was just watching Helga and I have to tell you he just freaked me out." Iggy continued to run till he felt safer inside the boys bathroom. "Well he saw me because I was planning on calling the cops on him, but my stupid ankle popped. I thought he was about to attack me, but he instead disappeared." Listening to Arnold speak more, Iggy answered him. "No! I ran back into school. Fuck! That guy is freaky. What the hell happened to him?! Yeah if you still want me to call them I will, but he is already gone."

Arnold on the other end placed his hand on his temple as they all got up from the table. "Well we are heading back to school. We still have to tell them."

Hearing the door open and close, Iggy turned his head to spot Brainy coming in.

On his end, Arnold heard a death defying scream. "Iggy? IGGY?!" He looked at everyone. "He isn't answering me."

XX

Getting back to school there was an ambulance and a police vehicle out front. Rushing up once they saw it was Iggy, Arnold went up to them. "It was Brainy. He told me he saw him as he was talking to me."

The cop turned around to instantly recognize, Helga. "Are you positive, Son?"

"Very positive." Arnold answered.

The cop sighed as he had them come with them. Finding themselves in the office, Helga sat down immediately feeling aged more. The cop left them alone for the time being to handle business.

"This is all because of me." She murmured.

Arnold turned her towards him. "Don't blame yourself. Brainy is sick."

"First my dad and than Phoebe. He attacked Iggy." Touching his face, Helga sighed. "What if he hurts you next?"

"Don't do this to yourself. I'll be fine." Arnold assured her as he held her.

* * *

Lila continued to run through the underground. She continued to smile at her freedom. She breathed hard till she felt her head smacked against the hard concrete.

Stepping up to her, Brainy sighed down at her. "Should've stayed where you belonged."

* * *

Beads of sweat went down his body before his body slammed hard against the flooring. Sid cursed. He cried. He smacked the therapist away from him. Suddenly that night came back to him and it had him crawling backwards away from the person he was supposed to trust. Sid could only see them. Could only feel what they have done to him.

His therapist advanced cautiously. "Sid. Please it is me. You are in a safe place."

Still all he saw was him in that alley again until he thought he spotted, Monkey Man jumping down. Sid collapsed in relief.

The therapist called for help as Sid fell unconscious. Perhaps it was much too soon to put him through therapy with a male. Maybe it should of been with a female with what he read in the file. "It's okay. Help is on its way." He assured him softly.

XX

Sid woke up back in his bed. He glanced at his doctor beside him smiling with all the patience she could muster up. He sighed as he adjusted himself. "Don't say it."

"Don't say what?"

He hated coy doctors. "You know I hate it when doctors act like this. Cute."

She sighed softly as she stood up. "I'll be changing your therapist to a girl for this time period. It was much too soon for us to introduce you to a male at this stage."

"Just because I was raped by three dudes?" Sid lashed out. "Yeah! I can say it. I'm not gay. Those guys are the assholes here. Will I be normal for anyone ever again? I fucking doubt it. I don't even think so with the opposite sex."

She lifted her eyebrow up. "Why are you angry right now?"

Sid fell quiet. What if it got out? He will be terrorized about it.

"Do you believe that if this gets out that people will tease you?" She figured.

"Doesn't matter." He glanced away.

"You aren't the only one who has thought about this." She wished he would stop turning his head away from her. "Those people are the worst ones if they do that. It will hurt you but you have to make sure not to let it."

Corner store therapy from this shrink here. Sid turned his head the other way. He'd rather speak to, Dr Bliss or Helga. Helga wasn't a trained shrink yet, but at least she was far beyond this quack. "I want to speak to, Dr Bliss." Sid told her firmly.

Cocking her head to the side, she persisted in treating him. "Now Sid, we need to keep moving forward in this."

He finally stared hard at her. "Give me Dr Bliss or I'll never speak to anyone else ever again."

XX

It was interesting that instead of, Dr Bliss he got Helga. Not that he minded seeing that he felt comfortable enough in sharing with her in the first place. He smiled at her until he realized how dark her own eyes seemed to be.

"Something must be really bad happening on your end?" Sid sat up straighter so he can listen to her.

Helga sighed. "Well I'm here for you, Sid. Dr Bliss truly wanted to come, but a student was attacked in school so she had to attend to his needs."

Hoping it wasn't a friend of theirs, Sid asked. "Who?"

"Iggy." Helga deflated more. "Brainy attacked him in the bathroom simply because he spotted him stalking me."

Sid had no idea how he got out of his bed to be near her, but there he was with his arm around her shoulders. "How is he?"

"Traumatized." She sniffled. "I'm here because you had a breakdown and yet." Helga stopped speaking.

He wanted to confess something to her. "Gloria has always been seen as your sweet version. She looked like you, but everyone thought she was just this sugar sweet person." Sid thought that if she wanted to hit him after this confession, let her, perhaps she'll feel better. "Well, I was always scared of you in the past, but I thought you were at least boss in playing with on teams. You are a great player. As you got older, you got prettier and prettier. You also got nicer, but Arnold insisted that you were always nice. Well with me drooling after Gloria, I than started drooling after you."

Helga pulled away from him slightly. "Um. Sid, did I hit you hard at one point in our lives to stop making sense?"

Chuckling, Sid shook his head. "No. I think you are this perfect balance of both sweet and feisty. Gloria is just always sweet."

"Did you just go out with Gloria thinking that if you did-"

"I would be living out my fantasy with you. Yeah I'm scum." Bowing his head in misery, Sid added. "You can hit me."

She considered. "A long time back you wouldn't of admitted these things so I'll let it slide this once. Just please treat women better."

Smiling, Sid than dropped it. "I don't believe I'll be interested in any of that for a long time though."

"Sure you'll be." Helga assured him.

"How do you know?"

"Because you've been staring at my tits since I've gotten in here." Helga pointed out to him before tugging at his hair. "Now let's begin our therapy. After this I believe you should talk to the dude therapist here. You might get a better result with him. I spoke to him and he is pretty much like Arnold. So it will be good for you."

Sid thought about it. He had to weigh his options. "I will do that. That woman just was like a fortune cookie or something speaking to me."

Scoffing, Helga lifted her eyes as said woman wandered past the room. "The sheer intelligence of a sea sponge that one is. You are truly better off with that guy."

"When can I see Stinky?"

Minding his injuries, Helga smiled. "Soon. It will be soon. I want to let you know that he thought he should be here to help you out during therapy. He wants to cheer you on."

Stinky, in spite of what Sid did to betray his trust, still wanted to help him. Feeling a bit blubbery, Sid fought the urge to cry. Stinky is a true friend.

* * *

Friday came and there was Helga heading inside the neighbors house with the mail. Sometimes it was Miriam. Sometimes it was her. Today it was both her and Arnold. Brainy narrowed his eyes at Arnold as they did a quick in and out. He watched them go across the street to her car before they took off.

Hearing the phone ring inside the house, Brainy went upstairs to ready himself. It was obvious she was going to spend a night at his place since she placed a bag in her car. He prayed that his Deity didn't give herself to him.

* * *

Wendell caught up to Rhonda as she giggled ahead of him. Wrapping his arms around her slender waist, he kissed her at the nape of her neck. He smiled against her soft skin as she melted against him. He felt weak kneed as she played her fingers up his arm in a private dance.

"Such soft skin." He murmured.

Rhonda sighed feeling the need to tease him. "Do you want more?"

"Mmm hmmm." His eyes were closed. He felt entranced.

Pinching him, Rhonda dashed off. "Than catch me if you can."

Laughing, she loved how quickly she covered more ground compared to him. Sports obviously was a very helpful component in aiding her to be this quick. Glancing behind her as he trailed behind, Rhonda stuck her tongue out.

"Ha ha! You can't catch me." She called out.

First a movie and a dinner, now a run through a park. Wendell grinned as he felt exhilarated till his grin faltered. "Rhonda stop! I mean it."

Not falling for his trap, Rhonda kept moving forward even as she heard him yell at her to stop. "You that afraid of losing, Wendell?" She called back.

Should he scream it out loud for the whole world to hear it? Perhaps he should since it won't be a pretty sight when she does hit it. "Body!"

Her head turned back to him. "What?" Is he telling her he loves her body or not? Rhonda felt confused. "Yes I know you like my body. Anything else?"

He tried to pick up speed to stop her, but it was too late. It happened.

Rhonda fell down face first. She cursed as she turned her head towards what made her trip and fall. Seeing the source, she did the only thing that was natural. She screamed.

* * *

Helga smiled over at Arnold as he slept peacefully. They decided to have his last shot done this Friday instead of a Saturday. She timed his ice pack for the time allotted so he wouldn't get sick. So in the middle of the night, Helga would remove it.

She smiled over at her boyfriend from the couch. She was glad she was here with him. It seemed the same with his family. They seemed thrilled she was also here for their son. Guess they were still paranoid from what Lila did the last time she was still running around free.

Still as she thought of that fruit cake, Helga peered up at the skylight to see if she can see the other crazy one, Brainy. She honestly feared him more than, Lila herself. Brainy was more skillful than Lila. Someone like that didn't manage to get away as long as him by being stupid.

XX

Helga heard the chattering of his teeth before her alarm went off. Moving swiftly in spite of how tired she was, she was by his side removing the pack away from him. She left to drain the water, place the ice pack into the freezer again, heat up some water to bring it up to him. She moved quietly as she put it next to him.

"I kinda need the bathroom." He chattered at her as he slowly made his way up.

Nodding her head, Helga helped him up. She didn't complain as she brought him down, and waited by the door. Smiling at him, Helga helped him back up, and into bed.

"Sorry. You feel very stiff after you wake up from this." He explained. His bones felt so chilled as he drank his lemon water.

"I can understand so after you get warmed up, just lay back, and rest." Helga waited patiently for him as she sat there.

Placing the mug down, Arnold laid back down. He was beat. He still felt knocked out. "Please sleep next to me."

Considering it, Helga nodded her head as she carefully laid on the other side of him. His skin was still so cold from having frozen water running under his back for all this time. KIssing him, Helga made sure he was really covered up. "Good night, Arnold."

"Good night, Helga. I'm glad you are here with me."

"Same here." Kissing him once more, Helga watched as his eyes closed quickly. She loved watching him sleeping soundly. He never snored. He sometimes had a soft smile on his face. Hopefully this will be the last shot he'll ever have to endure.

* * *

Nadine stepped inside Rhonda's posh bedroom. She was shocked to hear the monosyllable call come from her hoping she would come to see her. After that day where nearly destroyed, Nadine, and called off their friendship, she was shocked that she was the one to be called here.

"Rhonda?" She was cautious as she entered.

Rhonda was sitting against her headboard. Silk pajamas on and hair messed up. Her face was puffy. She had dark circles under her eyes as she rocked back and forth in her bed. Her hand latched onto her comforter for dear life.

Nadine really wished that her parents clued her in to what was going on with their daughter. She sighed as she sat down on her bed. "What happened?"

"Great date last night." There she goes with that far away monosyllable voice. "Nothing fancy and for once I really loved it." No as much as she spoke those words, Nadine blinked wanting to believe them. "Wendell is great. Sweet. I love kissing him."

"Rhonda, what happened though?" She hoped Wendell didn't treat her badly. Like really badly.

Rhonda's eyes shut a bit more. Her lips trembled as moisture fell from her face. "I was running. Having fun. He was telling me to stop but I thought it was because he was too slow." She wiped her nose with the back of her arm. It was something so unRhonda-like. "I didn't." She shrugged. "I tripped over it. I fell over the dead body."

Nadine covered her mouth as she reached for the hand that didn't wipe snot from, Rhonda's own nose just now. "Oh my gosh, Rhonda. I'm so sorry."

Her eyes were so terrifying. "It was Lila. It just didn't look like her until I got a good look at her." Rhonda flipped to her side to start crying anew. "It was horrible, Nadine. Please when you are out there, please don't get hurt."

Laying next to her, Nadine heard the fear and pain in her voice. "I promise. Just promise me the same thing."

Rhonda sniffled. She didn't deserve it, but she promised for her sake. "Make sure that Curly is with you. He'll kick their asses."

"I will." She privately smiled even as Rhonda kept on rattling off more things she hoped her friends would do to keep safe.

* * *

Brainy stood there silently in the living room as he listened to the man sob endlessly about his daughter.

His. Sad. Pitiful. Excuse. Of. A. Daughter.

Brainy didn't hate the man. He felt saddened for him. He was a good soul that was given the gift of the Devil. It happens at times, and that man unfortunately received it.

He hoped that Charles Sawyer didn't end his life because of this.

Taking a step forward, Brainy considered speaking to him to offer his condolences. He knew it was twisted, but he wanted to keep this man here on this Earth a while longer.

* * *

 **A/N 2: It originally wasn't my intention to end it like that. Now don't flame me please. I don't need this.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the amazing reviews and the very kind words. Though it happened last monday when I lost the one sweet being that meant everything to me, it has felt like time has passed by in a crawl. She will always be in my heart and is a part of my soul. I know she knows this.**

* * *

Wolfgang glanced up towards the television to find that a local High School student was murdered during the last twenty-four hours, he certainly wasn't expecting to hear it to be, Lila. He held no remorse for the girl, just for her father who now had to deal with this.

It was truly a raw deal for the dad.

* * *

Dr Bliss knocked on the front door before coming in. Hearing the repeated sound of ripping fabric, she moved towards it cautiously. Helga and Arnold were being questioned by the police so now she was here to see about, Charles Sawyer's mind.

Following the sound to, Lila's old bedroom, Dr Bliss found a likeness of another Arnold on the floor near the door. "Mr Sawyer?" Stepping in, she saw him ripping her dresses apart. "Mr Sawyer, it is Dr Bliss."

Charles was fatigued from lack of sleep. His arm stung where his own daughter struck him. She was psychotic. She was hearing voices. She escaped just to get murdered. Grabbing her favorite green dress, Charles ripped it in half. "I could give it all away, but I'm afraid it would affect someone innocent."

Lifting up the fabric with her fingers, Dr Bliss was deeply concerned for the man. "As good as the thought may be, it won't really happen."

In a fit of anger, Charles lashed out by extending his hand out towards the hallway. "There was a phallic thing on that figure out there. I don't want to imagine what my daughter was doing with that in her bedroom. I really don't, but it feels me with such anger."

"It's healthy to let it out. So please do so." Dr Bliss encouraged him.

He did so until he could do no more. He collapsed on the floor to the point of sobbing. "I'm a failure as a father."

"You aren't. She was suffering from an illness that you had no clue about. It happens." Dr Bliss expressed to him. Even the person suffering from the affects has no true clue until it is too late."

Charles shook his head honestly believing he just failed as a father. He could of saved his little girl. She would of been here still. Alive and well.

* * *

Helga dragged herself upstairs slowly till she didn't bother to do it any longer. She sat down half-way towards the top. She leaned herself against the wall wishing to wash away the police station once more. Lila wasn't her favorite person in the world, but she didn't deserve that fate. Her eyes closed even as she blindly opened up her mail.

She told Arnold she will meet up with him and the others in a little bit. She said she just wanted to wash up and change. She sighed as she lifted what felt like a disc from another envelope making her question her sanity as she stood up to head to her computer.

She counted her steps to her room to keep her sanity. Counted the seconds as she loaded up the disc just for her to stop it. Picking up the phone, she contacted Arnold. "Bring Gerald and Phoebe with you. I'll obviously be alone here." She hung up as she began to growl. "Sick bastard."

XX

Now all four of them sat in the living area just so they can be as comfortable as possible. Helga felt her veins boiling over in their rage at, Brainy just sending a disc over to her. So as she stood there ready to press play, the remaining three were at the edge of the couch literally.

Gerald had to suck in a breath as he found himself not breathing for some time. This tension was becoming so unbearable. This year seemed to be a victimization of sorts towards one person or another. "Hell Girl?"

Helga removed her hand finding it to be shaking now. Her attention went to Arnold hoping he would do it. "Please." She whispered.

Nodding his head, Arnold did so just to find, Brainy standing in a room full of drawings of, Helga. He gritted his teeth. His toes curled up just to hide the fact he was also clenching something else. Arnold wanted to reach through this monitor and strangle him.

 _"Uh, hi_

 _This is to you my Helga. My Deity. My one and only true love._

 _I left my family to spend my time nearer to the one I love._

 _They didn't understand. They thought that I could live without you._

 _It caused such derision between us. They thought you were trash._

 _But you aren't."_

Brainy stood up to extend his arms out like he was Christ himself. It was reasonably wrong in Helga, Arnold, Gerald, and Phoebe's opinions. It was disparagingly horrific for him to act like this.

 _"I ran off the first chance I received. Not so hard when you place drugs in their coffee._

 _Now my love I won't bore you with those details when I'm certain you have notice something better._

 _All these drawings behind me are of you. I hope you are pleased."_

Helga was sickened. Gerald had to blush making himself turn his head away from the more detailed drawings. It was far too much for him to witness himself.

Brainy sat back down smiling into the camera. _"The Devil was incorrigible the way she followed him around than yourself. She escaped from where I wanted her to be, but now she is in hell where she belongs."_ His grin was sickening now. _"She was fun to destroy. She was impure while you remain pure._

Phoebe released a hiccup from the build up inside of her. "Is he actually implying that he murdered her?" Her eyes turned towards her friends in frightening realization. According to their expressions, they reached the same conclusion even as, Helga stood up. A laugh was heard from the recording. A laugh they all never heard from, Brainy before.

 _"Out of all the people to discover the body, it was Rhonda. What a perfect person to find it. So perfect that."_ The shot cut from him to, Rhonda in her bedroom in obvious shock. _"Princess will be scarred for life."_

Helga was cold as she handed Arnold the calling card from the Detective from the police station. "Tell them we obviously have the murderer." She moved to her staircase to head to her bedroom. She needed to scream. She needed to do something.

Turning the disc off, Gerald told Phoebe he'll handle it. When it came to touchy feely emotions, it was in their wheelhouse, but when it came to other things, Gerald knew he could snap her out of it. So here he was at her door as she sat on her bed. She looked miserable. She appeared like she was blaming everything on herself.

"So do you think all of this is your fault? His obsession over you to the point of killing, Lila." Gerald surmised pointedly. The way she shrugged her shoulders had him guessing this correctly. "Well it isn't. Brainy has lost his screws in his brain a long time ago. I mean, who would want to drug your parents to get away from them?"

Helga sighed. "I would of. If my parents forced me to move away, I would of just to stay near, Arnold and Phoebe." She shrugged when she saw a panicked expression on his face. "Back then my family didn't pay one bit of attention to me, Gerald. They are the ones that I got up for."

Wandering forward, Gerald thought about that. "That's nice to know. So why hate on me so badly back then?"

Incredulity washed over her face at that question. She chose not to be insulted by it simply due to the fact of how she was back then. "I actually didn't. We both have very strong personalities so it is bound to happen. You know I use to butt heads with, Rhonda. It is mostly because we are both Alphas."

"Don't mind that I took your girl?" Gerald teased just to help bring a smile to her face.

Helga was beyond that right now. "I'm happy when she is happy. You at least make her happy." Giving him a light playful punch on his arm she smirked. "You both make more sense than when she was with, Ludwig. We are buds and I love the dude like a brother, but we are more like friend material."

"Now distract me from those images from that wall." Gerald suddenly detoured onto that subject. "I don't need to know certain things about your body if it was actually accurate or not."

She snickered at how much he was turning red. Helga normally enjoyed seeing, Arnold turn a blinding red, but this was a pleasant change of pace.

* * *

It was shortly after dinner time when an twelve year old was busy slipping on her over sized t-shirt to cover up her half shirt she wore. Timberly told her parents she was just going to eat with her friend and family, but they went off to meet boys.

Really cute boys.

Timberly smiled at one in particular whom finally returned her attention. Someone she had a crush on for more than a year. Someone who was her first kiss. She blushed at that thought. She grinned.

Her stomach was met with butterflies.

She swore she was flying down the sidewalk now. She wasn't running. She was gliding. That's how happy she was.

* * *

Still at the Pataki's house, Gerald had to answer his phone. "Hello? Oh hey mom." Calm at first, Gerald felt himself raising his hand up. "What do you mean she hasn't come home? Well she isn't with me. I'm still with my friends and we have the cops here. Why? Well, Brainy has sent Helga a disc personally to her."

Phoebe drifted closer towards, Gerald after hearing his concerned voice.

"Well where is Jamie-O? Didn't you call him? I mean he is a cop." Gerald's voice was becoming more panicky as he heard, Brainy's threat coming true.

Helga paused to listen as well. Guilt began to pile up even more upon her. She felt her father's large hand on her arm seeming to pull her back. Arnold whispering to her, and she couldn't hear. All she knew was that Timberly might be in trouble.

Gerald turned his head to have his eyes meet up with, Helga's. He spotted the instant guilt she was feeling which had him coming forward. In the past he would of blamed her, but if Brainy did take his sister, than it was his doing. Not hers.

Those blue eyes were truly overwhelming right now. Gerald could see them straining not to burst. It actually almost broke him to know she was this vulnerable. "I will say this right now to you. You are not the one at fault here. So don't blame yourself."

While Helga was actually speechless, Arnold thanked his friend silently as he reached out to him. "What about Timberly?"

Gerald turned his attention to the ground. "Her purse was found in an alleyway not far from home." He gulped as he glanced up towards the Detective. "Also the t-shirt she was wearing." He heard Phoebe gasp behind him. "What if he is already using my sister to begin his threat?"

The Detective examined all four of the teenagers. "This disc is now evidence. As for your sister, we will locate her." Glances towards his partner. "Make sure we have that report for her." Watching his partner leave the residence he continued. "We'll be watching your residences with most of our attention on, Ms Pataki here."

"Great." Helga muttered out.

Gerald sighed. "My brother is a cop so I'm sure he can stay at our house."

The Detective nodded his head. "We'll have him assigned to that as well. It will do you all quite well." Seeing his partner come back in he looked at what was written. "No clue if she was abducted by him, but we hope to find her extremely soon for her sake."

That just didn't ease, Gerald at all.

* * *

It stunk so badly here. Where was she? Timberly felt so chilled to the bone. Her teeth chattered and now she wished she listened to her family about having more clothing on.

"Please. I just want to go home." Her teeth were chattering so badly.

She felt a presence near. She shuddered. She didn't feel very safe. She could literally feel her flesh raised as she cringed finding something hot placed against her skin. She squealed.

"Please stop." She begged.

Brainy watched from a distance as the now homeless homeopathic doctor did some things that weren't considered torture, but in her mind. Her very terrified mind, it was.

* * *

So here she sat in her living room with her parents. Helga had to say good night to, Arnold and her friends. Brainy obviously had Timberly, and now Helga wanted to kill him for doing this to a little girl.

"So he runs around free and we are prisoners. Does this make any fucking sense?" Helga finally blurted out.

Her parents were just as unhappy about this situation. Bob wanted to run the little fucker over with his Hummer. Miriam wanted to get a huge blender to puree Brainy. They both stared at their daughter deciding to ask a curious question.

"How long has he been stalking you?" Miriam wondered.

Blowing a strand away from her face, Helga hated this question due to the next question. "Since pre-school. It has all been harmless. Never like this so that is why I never thought of it. Never thought he would ever do a thing like this. If I did, I would of said something." She felt so weighed down. "Than Timberly would be safe at home."

* * *

Rhonda jerked with a start when she heard something in the hallway. Moving slowly towards her door, her hands trembled, her heart beat out a wild rhythm, and she lost her breath a few times. She inched her ear to listen at the door to find with relief that it was her parents. Turning she found herself with a hand smacked hard against her mouth.

Brainy yanked her towards her bed wishing to complete what he needed to do for tonight as he went to blindfold her. Knocking her out, he watched as she went limp.

* * *

Jamie-O raised himself up. Hand on his holster the very moment they all heard the loud sound at the door. No one responded to their calls so he had his family cautiously move out of the living room in case something dangerous was behind the door.

Cautiously, he glanced out the window to notice nothing, but still there were hiding spots out there. So he went to the door to open it slowly just to find his baby sister laying there looking almost lifeless. Going down to check her pulse, Jamie-O still checked on his surroundings as he called in for help. He had to maintain his professionalism even as his insides were wrecking apart at seeing his sister with round bruises on her.

"Son?"

It was his dad. Jamie-O grimaced even as he lifted his baby sister up in his arms. Her light moaning was heard. Carrying her inside it was an instantaneous effect from the entire family.

"My baby!" His mother cried out as she rushed over to her daughter. "What did they do to her?"

Gerald rushed to place a blanket over her seemingly pale body. She was back, but he was afraid of all the stuff that happened to her.

* * *

Curly was taking a walk around to clear his head from the many spiderwebs in his mind. Some days he was fine and others he felt cluttered. He tried to clear the clutter but all he received was more after he continued to have those dreams.

He loves Nadine but he continued to have sexual dreams of, Rhonda. It was driving him crazy.

There were even some dreams of him being chased by that lunatic in that asylum, but most of all he was curious to what he was seeing right now. Was he really seeing Rhonda being carried out of her home by, Brainy?

He rubbed his eyes to determine he wasn't seeing things and just like that he went after him. He went after that crazy fuck. The same crazy fuck he had the feeling that was even responsible for killing, Lila. He knew he was responsible for attacking, Big Bob. He was stalking Helga.

Brainy was holy surprised by how, Curly came at him so fast, but this was him. Brainy dropped Rhonda on the ground trying to dodge his attack. Feeling a heel right to his chin, Brainy stumbled back till he got one right in his stomach. Brainy had to leave right now.

Curly watched him leave even as he stayed protectively over, Rhonda's prone form. When he was sure that Brainy was gone, Curly lifted her up in his arms to bring her back to her home. He had a feeling that her family had no clue she was gone. This will be fun to explain.

* * *

Helga glanced outside her living room window. She held her phone to her chest. Timberly was safe. Rhonda was almost taken away by, Brainy. Her teeth clenched. Her vein pulsated in her forehead. She swore it might burst soon from all the tension. Feeling her parents gazes upon her, Helga excused herself just to take a bath.

While in the bath, she still texted Arnold. She still needed him. Still wished to have his lips upon her.

 **H: This is all because of me.**

 **A: Stop blaming yourself. You know Brainy isn't right in the head.**

 **H: That's for sure, but why me?**

She noticed there seemed to be a lengthy time before he replied to her. Why was that? Didn't he have a right response for her? She frowned as a tear dropped into the water below.

 **A: Helga, you are incredibly special. You've always been. Someone I will want to marry.**

Her heart leaped at that, but still that side of her took over.

 **H: Really? Than why did you take so long in responding to me?**

 **A: Gerald is texting me too from the hospital. Timberly wasn't tortured. They used the ancient art of cupping on her body. So she has these round circular bruises on her body.**

Now she felt guilty for acting so self-conscious just a moment ago. She sunk lower down into the water.

 **H: I'm sorry about that. I'm glad she is with her family again.**

 **A: Same here. Also I have to admit something to you.**

 **H: What is that?**

 **A: I miss seeing you at night so I looked though your feed a moment ago. I wanted to hold you. You look so unhappy.**

Helga wasn't angry at that. She didn't find it creepy with him doing that. She wouldn't of given him the password at all if she didn't trust him.

 **H: I wouldn't mind talking to you once I'm out of my bath. So video chat?**

 **A: Absolutely. I need to see your beautiful face.**

She blushed even as it felt like a hug to her.

 **H: I'll be out of my bath very soon than.**

 **A: Can't wait. Let me know and we can do it.**

 **H: All right.**

* * *

Rhonda jumped up in her bed hitting the arm that held the washcloth to her forehead. Eyes wide she instantly wrapped her arms around her mother. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I'm sorry."

Brooke held her sobbing daughter. "It's alright. Your friend, Thaddeus stopped this boy from kidnapping you."

Opening up her glossy eyes, Rhonda looked over at Curly who was standing near the door too casually. "Thank you."

Curly shrugged. "The cops seem to be having a busy night involved due to him." He pushed off the wall. "He already kidnapped, Timberly." She gasped at that. "Don't worry, she's back with her family again. He tried to kidnap you."

Rhonda was afraid to ask. "Is she alright though?"

His eyes lowered. "I don't know. All I know is that she is in the hospital still getting checked out."

* * *

Gerald was still getting his eyes adjusted to the harsh fluorescents of the hospital. He informed his brother that a friend of his just prevented another friend from getting kidnapped.

Jamie-O placed his hands on his hips. He was angry still at what happened to their sister. His partner was glancing over at him as he stood there listening to, Gerald. Clapping a hand on his little brother's shoulder, Jamie-O studied him hard.

"What else did this sick bastard say on that disc, Bro?"

Gerald already covered everything with him. "I told you everything that he said. He probably most likely doesn't like myself or even Phoebe due to us chasing after him."

Jamie-O raised his hands up. "Whoa! When did you do that?"

"Shortly after he tased Big Bob. We caught him coming out of their house."

He wanted to berate his brother for not saying anything at all, but he seemed to remember a mentioning of this at the police station. Still it didn't stop him from actually worrying about him. Something that was a far cry from how he used to tease his little brother.

Gerald watched his brother turn away from him. Saw how he seemed to swipe his hand across his face. Gerald spotted the worry for him. "If you want, I'll let you give me a wedgie later on for worrying you."

Jamie-O actually fought back a snicker on that. He turned to face him before his attention went to where their sister still was. "I just don't want to see you ever ending up in there."

Sighing, Gerald understood fully. "I know. I don't want to see anyone I love in there either."

Placing his arm around his brother's shoulder, Jamie-O came to do this job to help protect others. Never did he think that he would be picking his own sister up in a injured heap.

* * *

 _~Helga's Dream~_

 _Her bare feet crunched the leaves below her as she walked along the deserted sidewalk. Her eyes scanned from side to side trying to leave no stone unturned in her wake. She was fine as she trekked along. She felt free till she began to realize in truth:_

 _Silence breeds death._

 _A sharp intake of breath. Helga hurried her eyes around as now the beauty of her surroundings melted into something macabre. She smelled decay. She also sensed lack of hope._

 _"Be ever so careful of him." Came a soft whispery voice._

 _Helga turned her head around to see Lila in her youth. Way before her sickness took a hold of her. Way before she wanted a boys attention. It was an innocent, Lila. She smiled at her allowing Helga to speak._

 _"I'm so sorry with what happened to you." Expressed Helga as she neared her. "How are you right now?"_

 _Lila smiled. "I'm with my mother now. I'm with her before everything got worse." She brought her hand out to touch, Helga's cheek. "I'm sorry for all I did. I wish I could of stopped myself."_

 _Crouching down, Helga took her hand in hers. Even if this is just in her head, she could forgive. "I forgive you. It wasn't your doing."_

 _The sound of loud breathing followed by a screeching sound had, Helga try to protect her. She knew the breathing sound, but not the other one. As another sound of someone crying, Helga knew it was Timberly when she sounded upset. She stood up as another sound of a shocked sound was called out._

 _"You ever so should leave here. He is after you and he will do everything to keep you." Lila's tiny voice warned._

 _Turning to inquire of her some more, Helga found that she disappeared. She was alone in whatever place she is. Well she knew she was in Hillwood, but this isn't the Hillwood that she was familiar with. This was more of a murderous type of place. A place that was smelling more of something lecherous. It was so depraved that her stomach was tying into knots._

 _Going into the direction of the boarding house, Helga was focused on her journey. First she walked till she broke out into a full out run when she heard people rushing after her. She looked behind her to see nothing but filthy derelict people rushing at her. Turning her head forward, Helga cursed at how the Sunset Arms was moving further and further away._

 _"No." She whispered as she continued to run till the ground swallowed her up._

 _When Helga came to she blinked rapidly to find, Brainy in front of her. He guided her attention down to where she was wearing nothing but white. Her eyes wide before searing into his, Brainy came closer to her with a knife close to her abdomen._

 _"With this child. It shall bring purity into this planet, my Deity." He promised._

 _Feeling the knife plunging into her, Helga screamed._

 _xx_

Helga woke up drenched in sweat. Breathing hard, she moved up against her headboard to curl her legs up against her chest. She continued to swallow dry lumps in her throat.

It was 1:13 am in the morning, and she was unable to get any further sleep that night.

* * *

 **A/N 2: I wasn't about to do any hard core torture to Timberly. It was just a mind over matter situation and she was so scared that anything hurt to her.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Well now I got some flames under the guest profiles. I removed those because quite honestly I felt they were incredibly rude, and just wished to flame. Go and read another story. I'm not aiming a gun to your damn heads to read this. If you don't have anything nice to say than shut the hell up. I have enough crap to deal with. Normally I can take the good with the bad, but right now if I could I would go over to your house to pull a Brainy on you. Why in the hell did God take someone good away when crap like you people exist in this world?! Yeah! You fuckers should be ashamed of yourself. This also includes you . So they talk like 30 year olds instead of like teenagers. When I was a teenager I didn't even speak like a teenager. I was accused of speaking like a 30 year old, so guess what? Not everyone is made equally. I just wanted to point this out to you. Funny how I remember you even pointing this out to my good friend's story under This Life by Everclear70. Something she based on me too. So sorry that it doesn't meet your standards but I'm not writing this for you specifically. Now go on and read another story and stay away from mines. This includes others. I am very angry obviously.**

 **Want to know Brainy's reason for doing what he is doing? Guess what?! The boy is fucking obsessed over Helga and has now officially taken it to looney town. Sheesh. I didn't know I had to spell that one out so badly.**

 **As for the kind people. Thank you very much. I love your reviews and you will have your bold Helga back. Right now I just have writers block and this just happens to be one of the last chapters I fully churned out prior to the block so I'll post it for you kind people.**

* * *

Gerald woke up in the middle of the night to find Timberly in bed with him. She was gripping his arm tightly. Whimpering. Turning to face her, Gerald stroked her hair away from her face. His frown felt like it would be permanently etched into his skin now from the last twenty-four hours.

Hearing the door open and seeing his mom's worried expression before it melted into relief, Gerald placed his finger to his lips to single for her to be quiet. He didn't wish to disturb her. She needed her sleep. The screams she let out when she was alone frightened them all.

Timberly opened her eyes a little just when her mom left his room. Her large eyes were glossy. "I'm sorry, Gerald for disturbing you."

Eyes softening, Gerald smiled at her. "It's no problem. I was about to fall asleep again."

She began to close her eyes wondering if she should say something more, but felt that she should. "I was afraid. Afraid I wouldn't see any of you again. They did it to scare me. They didn't want to hurt me." She trembled. "Why are they doing this?"

Gerald held his little sister. "I don't know." He knew. He just didn't want to provide the answer to her.

* * *

Miriam allowed Arnold into the house. "She's upstairs. She hasn't spoken a word at all." Taking his hand, she felt like her knees were about to buckle. "She hasn't even eaten either."

Arnold's head tilted up towards her bedroom. "Did anything happen last night after you went to bed?"

She shook her head. "No. No unwelcome visitors since that is his strange rule." Miriam suddenly shifted most of her weight to one side. "Why just the nighttime? Why not the daytime?"

He couldn't answer that. He didn't really want to answer that even if he did know the answer right now. It was possible because it was easier for, Brainy to move around now. Still, he couldn't escape how he felt sometimes when he was near her bedroom window. "I don't know, Mrs Pataki. Where is your husband?"

She sighed. "At work checking on things before heading back here." Her attention went outside towards the parked unmarked police vehicle. "We just aren't comfortable leaving her alone for too long. Oh we know she can handle herself, but we still worry."

"Of course you do. You love her. It is only natural." Arnold told her as he felt his feet itching to carry him upstairs to his love.

Sensing his need to go up to see her daughter, Miriam released his hand. "Go on upstairs, Arnold. I hope that you have better luck than us."

Moving past her, Arnold ascended the staircase wondering how she was. He didn't easily hate others, but he honestly hated Brainy right now. He has been causing pain to others now, and he couldn't stand by to continue watching that.

So now he stood in front of the very door that the beautiful girl inside was hurting the most. The one he wanted to protect. So opening it, Arnold saw Helga sitting against her headboard curled up. It made his heart ache to see those vibrant blues appear so ashen at the moment.

"Morning, Helga. How are you?" Arnold didn't receive a response from her. He continued on inside the room.

Her hair appeared to be very stringy at the moment as her eyes remained glossy. Feeling her mattress shift and a familiar scent invite itself over to her. It warmed her senses prompting her to launch herself towards him with her arms wrapping around his shoulders. "Arnold." She whispered. "You aren't a dream."

"No I'm not." He felt how she continued to climb into his lap. "What happened?"

She felt ashamed to tell him, but she knew she needed to as she flopped back into her bed while dragging him down. "Sorry I haven't showered."

He honestly couldn't tell. While her hair was starkly different, Helga still smelled like vanilla and lavender. "You smell the same as always, Helga." Kissing her on the lips, Arnold looked her directly in the eyes. "I've always loved the way you smell."

Helga considered what he said to her before she decided to confide in him. "I don't normally get this way with a dream that I had, but this one was different. It was dark. It was almost something out of a horror movie." She watched at how he propped himself up over her abdomen as she began to speak. "Trying to be cute?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Does it help a little?"

The cute tone of voice of his. Helga closed her eyes. "A little." Feeling mentally stabbed in the stomach by Brainy, Helga squinted. "Ugh."

So she recounted each detail of her dream to him. If it was Phoebe, she would of done the same. Helga couldn't of done this to her parents. They would of brushed it off telling her it was just a dream. Sure it was, but for some reason this was telling her something more. The last part where told him about, Brainy stabbing her in order to remove a baby from her, she could see he was trying to maintain his composure.

That was a disturbing dream, but he really didn't want to call attention to it at all. It was interesting she had an innocent Lila in her dream. He began to sweat not knowing what to say. He wasn't practiced in this sort of thing. He was good at giving advice, but he still couldn't give advice on something like this.

"Is this supposed to be my baby from him or our baby?" Helga's voice was so small. Lost even.

Arnold had to act. "Helga, please don't think of it like that. It is obvious that he has already gotten into our heads as it is." Her big blue eyes lifted up to him making his heart bleed more for her. He brought his hand out to touch her face. "Timberly is sleeping in Gerald's bed already because she is scared."

She felt sorry for her. "At least Gerald will be there for her, but I don't wish for him to keep her roped up. I hate Brainy for making her feel like this."

"I do too." He brought her in his arms. "I hate that he is making you feel this way. Make sure to remember that you are strong. You are the girl that constantly hit him without no fear. Keep remembering that. Right now he has the power so make sure he doesn't have it no more."

Feeling him nuzzling her neck, Helga felt like puddy in his arms.

"Always remember who you are, Helga." He whispered. "You are the girl who took no prisoners before. Remind him who you are."

She moaned while her stomach began to gurgle with hunger.

"I believe you are very hungry now. Your mom told me you haven't eaten."

"I haven't showered either." Helga reminded him as she got up. "I need to do that."

"While you do that, what do you want to eat?" Arnold wondered as he went to her door.

Helga thought about it. "Something that is outside this house. I feel like I'm under house arrest right now." She knew she grumbled but didn't care.

Understanding her point, Arnold nodded his head. "Think of what you want and we can do that. I'll go downstairs to talk to your mom."

Ripping her pajamas right off her body, Helga didn't care if he was still in there. In fact she loved how he stared at her dumbfounded. "Is something wrong, Arnoldo?" She inquired acting coy.

He wanted to get on his knees to worship her himself. "You are my Deity. My perfect girlfriend."

He was so cute that she approached him giving him a kiss. "I'm fine with, Angel." Turning around, Helga gave him a very generous view of her backside.

"My perfect Angel than." He whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'll see you extremely soon." Blowing him a kiss, Helga grabbed her robe to slip it around her slim frame. Moving past him, Helga touched his front. "Thank you for helping me snap out of it."

He couldn't say a word until she left. Until he heard her close the bathroom door. "My pleasure, Angel." Pressing his hands against his groin, Arnold couldn't go downstairs to have his mother see him like this.

* * *

Phoebe could hear Timberly squeak in the living room before she made her way into the kitchen. Her eyes were round like saucers as she ran towards her older brother. "Timberly?" She spoke her voice in concern.

"I'm sorry. I just thought I heard someone else in the house besides you guys." Timberly's eyes moved towards where the basement laid.

Sighing, Gerald pulled his sister away. "Stay with Phoebe than. I'll tell Jamie-O so he can check it out." Moving away from them he calmly went to where his brother was staking himself out at the front door. "Hey Jamie-O."

Turning his head. "Yeah?"

"Timberly swore she heard something in the basement."

Nodding his head, Jamie-O stood up with his partner so he can go and check it out. He almost doubted anything was down there, but even he knew he would get chewed out by his superiors if he didn't do it.

In the kitchen, Timberly looked upon Phoebe nervously. "I'm a big chicken now. They let me know what they were really doing to me after it was all done. They told me and showed me after." She shook herself. "Still didn't help since they all scared me."

Meanwhile in the basement, Jamie-O didn't see anything out of the ordinary making him go back upstairs as he secured it down there once more. Informing his partner and Gerald it was alright down there, Jamie-O went back to his post.

"Did Brainy say anything at all while you were there?" Phoebe wondered while Gerald was coming back into the room.

She nodded. "Yes and he said he'll bring me back in time. He just needed to do one more thing. That is when I don't remember what happened. Next thing I knew I woke up with my family." Timberly looked to Gerald. "Was there anyone down there?"

Gerald shook his head. "Jamie-O checked it out and he saw no one."

Placing her head back down on the table top, Timberly felt so tired. "Maybe I'm just imagining the whole thing." Her spine shook wondering if the last twenty-four hours was just a nightmare.

* * *

He left the shower just to hear the rumble of a very familiar engine in the street. Rushing towards the front window, Brainy grimaced at seeing her taking off with Arnold. At one time he wanted her to be with him, but not anymore.

Dropping his towel, Brainy dragged it behind him so he begin to put some clothes on.

* * *

Sid dropped on the ground before anyone could stop his descent. For once he was fine with it even as he heard his Therapist and Stinky ask him if he was alright. "Yeah, I'm fine." His tone almost soft as he brought his hands back up to the rails. "Guess my sweat made things slippery."

Stinky was looking at how far he got to and from making him question his Therapist. "I am guessing it was mighty good that he went as far as he did. Right?"

"Yes it is. Sid has progressed very smoothly so far. I have faith in him to keep it up." He answered happily. "Do you want to keep going, Sid?"

Sid nodded his head. "Actually maybe once more around if that isn't any problem."

"No problem at all. You've been doing pretty good today so you are rewarded for your hard work." His Therapist told him.

XX

After finishing his therapy and cleaning up, Sid was out in the garden area with, Stinky. In truth it felt nicer for him to be out here rather than to be cooped up in his room. Sure he still had to get around in a wheelchair, but he hoped in time to graduate from that.

"So how is everyone?" Sid inquired.

Stinky didn't really want to tell him what has been happening lately. "Well things have been about the same lately. Yep."

Sid almost narrowed his eyes. "Why are you lying, Stinky?"

"What? Shucks, Sid I'm not lying."

He examined his posture. The way his seemed to sweat. The way his eyes shifted. "Than why are you standing there like that with your hands together tapping your fingertips together? Why is your eyes shifting uncontrollably? Why are you hunched over like that?"

Stinky closed his eyes while he looked towards the breeze. It was something to enjoy as it tumbled past him. "Well what can I tell you, Sid? There is just too much gosh darn stuff going on right now that you should be happy you are here right now."

"It still doesn't mean I don't want to know." Sid pressed his friend. "How are you and Gloria doing?"

Stinky smiled there. "Oh we are fine. Gloria is the light of my life. My family sure does love her. I can't tell you how happy I am that she is my girlfriend now."

"That's good, but what about the others?" Sid spotted the darkness once more in his friend.

Stinky shook his head. "That's where stuff gets more complicated in some people."

* * *

Bob spotted that brat outside of his business. He took off running after him just like a Freight train unafraid of the consequences. All he wanted to do was to stop him from harming his little girl.

Helga's face was frozen into his thoughts. He wanted to strangle the fucking punk for causing this to her. All night he would get up to check the house to see if anything was amiss. The one thing he didn't do was check her room. What if he had gotten her in her bedroom? Took her in the middle of the night? Bob couldn't of lived with himself if that happened.

As he ran into the alleyway, Bob was shocked to see the brat just standing there waiting for him. Taser in hand. Look of menace in those eyes even as someone dropped down onto a fire escape. Bob studied this person to see that they were older than the brat.

"While you have gotten better as a father to her, I'll still see to having her." Brainy informed him as he pressed the button on his taser.

Bob heard the strong clatter behind him signaling for him to turn his head to find two more people coming up from below. "What are you planning with me, Punk?"

Brainy smirked. "I simply want to wed your daughter in exchange for so many lives. I know how she wants to save so many. She has always been selfless."

"I'd rather die than allow her to be with you." Bob grated out as he planned out his next move.

Cocking his head, Brainy couldn't allow him to really do that. "You have twenty-four hours, Mr Pataki."

Opening his mouth, Bob felt pain to his shoulder.

Brainy couldn't believe how easy it was to knock out such a large person. "We all need food. I'll get us all something."

XX

When Bob came to it was very dark outside. His head was beating like a brass drum as he slowly raised himself up. He went for his phone to call his daughter. He had to warn her. "Helga, honey. Where are you?" He groaned as he adjusted himself feeling like crap. "You are with Arnold. Good. Are you at home or at his place?" He listened to her. "Well the reason why I'm asking is because I need you with someone you trust at all times."

On her end, Helga continued to hear groaning from her dad. "Dad, where are you? Why do you sound like crud right now?" She gripped her tiny phone with her other hand as she stopped walking. "Talk to me."

Bob contemplated in letting her know. He wanted to lie to her. Still he knew his daughter. "I ran after him and him and his crony friends had me cornered in an alleyway. Honey, please stay with someone at all times."

Helga grabbed Arnold's hand as she began to walk backwards towards the boarding house. "Are you still in that alley, Dad?" Her eyes were alarmed. "Did they hurt you?"

"They clobbered me, but I'm fine. I just woke up."

Arnold spotted his dad and mom coming out of the boarding house. Waving his hand for them to come over, Arnold mouthed out to her to get her to tell Bob where he was.

Her stomach was killing her. Is this what an ulcer was? "Dad, I'm coming to get you. I don't want to hear you say otherwise. I'm bringing his parents with me. Tell me where you are."

Bob sighed as he drifted out of alley to settle on to a bus stops bench. "I'm sitting on a bench. I can see my hummer still in the parking lot. It looks vandalized." He felt angered at that. "Lousy employees in not calling anyone about that." Still as he looked closer he spotted his own business with a hole on the side. "Bastards!"

"Dad?" Hearing rushed footsteps on his end, Helga heard him hang up. "Great, my dad went on the rampage again.

"We better get him then." Miles said as they all headed to her and the Packard. "I'll call the police."

XX

Helga covered her mouth up with her hand at the scene before her. Spotting her father as he was questioned by the familiar Detective, she took off towards him to receive a hearty hug from him.

Arnold had to glance away at the scene. His parents, whom saw their share of horrors all over, had to shield their eyes. They had to walk away towards where, Helga and Bob were. Now this is why most of the employees vehicles were still in the lot.

"So they gave it a twenty-four hour window." The Detective jotted the notes down as efficiently as possible.

Bob felt the guilt pile up. "Yes, but I thought it was my life he was referring to." He choked up as he thought about what lied inside the store."

Helga couldn't help it, she ran off close to the walls edge to heave. Feeling her hair being pulled back she knew it was Arnold. "Arnold. This is because of me."

"Helga. Don't think about it." He begged.

"It's because of my dream." She began to sob as she turned to him fearful that he'll be next. "No one deserves this pain."

The sirens began to blare as the paramedics carried patient after patient to the hospital.

* * *

This night, Rhonda was helping out with the line by placing food on the trays. She smiled at each person. It was all in an effort to mask her own shock still. She still felt disjointed between two things and she desperately just wanted to focus herself.

"Rhonda, could you go in the back to help Lewis with the meals." The coordinator requested of her pleasantly.

Nodding her head, Rhonda went to the back where she was instantly told to cut some carrots up. Cleaning them and placing them in the pot she soon found herself in a bit of a relaxing bit. Even as Lewis gave her another duty to perform, Rhonda quickly went to doing that without no hesitation.

Wendell stepped into the kitchen after being pointed by another where he could find her. Watching her perform her duties, he thought she looked very much at peace right now in spite of what she went through. The sweet smile playing up on her face. The slight hum escaping her lips.

"I love looking at you."

Rhonda hummed her response to him as she turned her head. "I suppose you do. Is that why you asked me out?"

He snickered. "You could say." He went over to some of the other stuff that needed to be prepared. "Do you need help in preparing food? I don't mind helping."

Lewis turned his head to consider the extra helping hand. "Sure thing. Mind peeling those potatoes over there and cutting them up to place in the pot as well. We need more to be put out for the next batch coming in."

Wendell went about washing his hands and placing gloves on. "Not a problem." Leaning over to kiss Rhonda's cheek, he than began to work.

"What have you been doing since I've been almost catatonic?"

"Painting and drawing. Would you like to see them?"

Rhonda blushed at the thought of seeing his art. Why she would blush? It was simply because how talented he is. She imagined so much that he could accomplish with his imagination. "I would love to actually." She beamed at the thought of viewing his stuff first hand. "I bet they are already museum quality."

"You think too much of me, but thank you."

Leaning over towards him, Rhonda whispered into his ear. "Because you give me good reason to think of you like that."

Wendell wished he could of had her to himself right now, but this would have to do. He had a feeling there was something like this about her when he first laid eyes on her. Someone who could be very sweet and fun to be around. She obviously had talent with clothing. Still he was sure she had talent with other things. She made him look a little more better. Hearing her hum once more, Wendell smiled at her as she continued to do her chores.

Later when he brought her over, Wendell had her walk into the attic that he used as a studio alone. He wanted her to immerse herself into what he did without him influencing her. Also he felt nervous in how she would feel for his stuff. It felt like such an eclectic mix in his opinion.

As for Rhonda, she fell in awe at the vivid display. There were nature paintings and people in various states of doing things. She recognized the forms to be impressionism, abstract, and modern. He didn't seem to have one particular one he wanted to stick with the most, but what did stand out was the bright colors.

"Wendell, I love them all." She wished that her eyes could just keep them all there right in front of her instead of scanning constantly.

He stepped into the room finally to see she was speaking the truth. "You do?"

She nodded her head as she stepped closer to one that made her very happy. "I love this one. It is speaking to me right now."

Standing behind her, Wendell wanted to hear her say what she thought she was hearing. "And what is it?"

Her hand reached out towards it. The blues. The greens. How he swept the yellow in a way to not overpower it, but still show you what a little brightness was capable of in life. She loved how the red in the painting wasn't so out there. A color she loved so dearly, but she clearly noted it in how it swirled in the muted background. It connected so well with the abstract way he painted sunflower. Normally she was not fond of that flower, but she found it so peaceful. So alluring in its very own happiness.

"Happiness can be so alluring and this attracts me so strongly." Rhonda almost wanted to embrace it as well.

Wendell smiled at her lovingly. "Do you wish to have it?"

Rhonda did actually. She wanted it above her bed. "I can pay you-"

He silenced her with a chaste kiss. "My girlfriend receives this as a token of affection."

She was stunned, Rhonda couldn't possibly. "But I couldn't. It is so much trouble." Once more she was silenced with his lips.

"No trouble. I stretch out my own canvas and even place them in frames myself." He moved away to show her the entirety of the room. "My grandfather taught me a lot about all this."

Continuing to be impressed, Rhonda moved about the room. "You are quite impressive." She smiled as she turned towards the frame around the painting. "At least that frame is perfect already for my bedroom." Moving back to him, she put her arms around him. "Of course I believe you put the rest of my furnishings to shame. That is quite a feat."

Flattered, Wendell enjoyed having her in his arms. It had been such a trying week for her that all he wanted to do was to see her smile.


	18. Chapter 18

Sid was watching the news in the common room with the others. Sitting next to, John he was listening to how people broke into, 'Big Bob's Emporium' to take money, and beat some of the employees and a bystander as a warning. Sid almost jerked in his seat as he spotted some footage of, Bob, Helga, and Arnold being questioned by police.

"Seems to be getting worse." He muttered under his breath.

John pointed at the screen. "You know them?"

Sid nodded his head. "Yeah I do. I hope they catch the ones responsible."

"Yep." It was such a quiet agreement from him as John's eyes seemed to darken.

* * *

Is this what tiny kids do? They sit quietly on the stairs while the adults discuss adult things that mostly concern you? They don't ask for your input. They just converse amongst themselves as if you lost the ability to think for yourself.

That's what Helga felt like as she sat beside Arnold on the steps to her own home. There was her parents discussing everything with the police. There was even the Shortmans there seeing that even Arnold was involved in this. Arnold and her were made to disperse away from them as if they had nothing to contribute.

Arnold was feeling just as insulted at her. He helped save a neighborhood with, Gerald and Helga's help. That was pretty grown up stuff for them to do. Honestly he felt more like a child now than when he was a child. He huffed about it as he leaned back almost stomping his foot into the step below him.

Feeling his tension, Helga moved to lean back with him. At least he was feeling the same. "When we were nine, we did a whole bunch of stuff that would make them look at us strangely. Save the neighborhood. Go through the jungle to find and save your parents. I mean, Brainy wants me. He wants to harm or scare people close to me. This is b.s."

"I hope you don't want to make yourself into a trap for him." Arnold whispered out of concern.

"No, but I'm fairly certain the cops are thinking that already." Helga adjusted herself to lightly rest her head against him. "He used those people as a warning more than my own dad. More than Timberly and Rhonda." She hoped that Phoebe was fine. "When he went after Phoebe my heart just stopped."

"NO! I REFUSE FOR YOU TO DO THAT!" Bob shouted. "She is my daughter. Not yours. You will not use her as bait."

Arnold and Helga instantly got up to head downstairs. Now they truly won't stay silent as they went down just for, Helga to be grabbed by Miriam a little too roughly. Helga gagged a little at the treatment.

Arms around her daughter, Miriam held her protectively. "This is my little girl. You will not do no such thing to her. I will not let that monster have her."

"Mr and Mrs Pataki, we understand your hesitance, but we will make sure she is safe." The Detective assured them calmly.

"Yeah right." Bob scoffed at that as he stepped closer to block him from even looking at, Helga. "I will not take that chance. I'd rather die than have our daughter go through God knows what with that creep."

Stella and Miles came forward as well. "We have to agree to this decision as well." Miles informed them. "I believe you can catch him without having to use her as bait."

"I'm bait anyhow even just standing here." Helga muttered out as she slid out her mom's embrace. She regarded all the ones that loved her. She studied all of their faces before turning to the Detective. "Brainy is very clever. He has gotten into areas in the past that even made us wonder how. When we asked him he would give us the same reply."

"Uh, I don't know." Arnold said in his best, Brainy impersonation. "That was always his response."

Helga almost smiled at her boyfriend. "Arnold and I have done some pretty brave and often outlandish things in the past, but I won't be that. I want to stop this insanity, but this isn't the way."

Taking her hand, Arnold decided to pull her to him. "If you don't mind, we are going to head upstairs to clear our young minds."

She found herself following him freely. Even she couldn't think of another way as they began to ascend the stairs. No one stopped them as they did since all they wanted to do was discuss that plan once more.

Closing the door behind her, Arnold went to her closet quickly to grab something from there. Coming back out, Arnold quickly just said it. "Pack. We are catching the next flight out of here."

Helga nodded her head to grab necessary items. Items that would be needed for them to make a quick getaway. Walking over to him, Helga wrote a quick note saying something almost completely cryptic. "Sorry, but they'll try to stop us from flying out."

He wasn't objecting to that as they both decided to climb out the window to run all the way to the boarding house for a few clothes of his and money.

* * *

Curly was heading to Nadine's house to pick her up for a date. As he was doing so he felt himself knocked down to the ground so hard, flipped over, and strangled. At first all Curly could envision was that freak from the asylum over his body breathing down on him with horrible teeth.

What he really had over him was an old friend, now an enemy, strangling him. Brainy was strong. Really strong. It surprised him even as he kneed him hard in the groin to the point that he might of tasted his own nuts.

"Now will you listen to me." Brainy gritted his teeth. "You pissed me off the last time we saw one another." Kneeing him once more, Brainy actually almost hated himself for doing this to, Curly of all people. "I honestly like you so I hate to do this to you. I really do, but I have to."

Curly clawed at him. "Wh-" It was so hard to speak with someone's hands around their neck. He closed his eyes.

Hurting once more, Brainy got up quickly. "We'll give your regards to your girlfriend."

Coughing due to so much pain and from trying to catch his breath, Curly heard those words. "Nadine." He let out those strangled words. "No. Leave her be."

* * *

Her vibrant blue eyes glanced out the window of their escape path. They actually did it. Feeling Arnold's hand in hers, Helga glanced at his still serious expression. He still was scared for her sake, something that he wasn't willing to share with her. She knew that because she already tried to pry it out of him.

"Well at least I convinced you to let us take my car."

Arnold sniffed the air. "You did and I must say that us pushing it away from your home was a bear."

"Baby." Helga had to laugh. "You acted like it was uphill. Remember how we jumped a freeway that one time."

"Yeah!" Arnold bellowed out. "Operative word in this is: One. Meaning it only happened only once. Not billions of times."

She sighed as she continued to try to distract them both. "Well now you get to fool around under the covers with a babe like myself all the time."

Blushing at how perfect she is, Arnold almost swayed off the road. "Better concentrate on the road. This car is not exactly inconspicuous by a long shot."

Helga shrugged. "Neither am I."

He knew that. "And I love that about you, but in this case we are running from a maniac."

She studied her dashboard for a long moment before she decided to speak again. "Where are we headed to anyhow?"

Arnold knew where they were heading to the point he hoped it would help them out. "You'll find out unless we get diverted in another direction by some mishap."

They were already out of Hillwood so she was clearly curious till it dawned on her. She has been so scared for her family and friends. She has even been scared for herself that somewheres along the line her mind just stopped working.

"I know where you are taking me. Are you sure that it will be safe?" She didn't want to endanger another person.

"Yes. I'm very certain of it." Arnold told her in a very steadfast way.

So with the continued rumble of the engine they continued their journey.

* * *

"She isn't even fazed by what we are doing to her. Most girls would of lost their shit already." One was saying as he viewed Nadine in a room by herself having bugs crawl all over her. "She looks amused."

Shaking his knotty tendrils, the once doctor honestly didn't want to head inside the room to the lone girl. "Should of enlisted other methods, but I could of sworn this would of helped."

Brainy wandered in behind them hoping to see what they were doing to, Nadine. Quietly he peered around the corner as they continued to speak just for his own mouth to twist into a frown. _Idiots!_ Reaching out to both of his comrades, Brainy pulled them back to begin to whisper harshly to them.

"She loves insects. She collects them. So this doesn't scare her. This excites her." Brainy was practically spelling it out for them. "Our Deity will not be happy with our failure."

They bowed their heads. "Yes we understand." They both spoke in unison.

He sighed at them both. It was truly his fault in not explaining to them fully about her. "It is alright." Placing his hands on each one of their shoulders, Brainy continued to speak. "You know she forgives you. She just doesn't forgive me for not informing you. For that, I'll enact this punishment."

Nadine watched as she saw Brainy come in. His eyes appeared so dead. There was no more softness there. No more good humor she once spotted in them. Now there was death and some malice as she watched him lift up his foot to begin smashing at those lovely bugs.

"Brainy, no. Please don't do it." She struggled as she continued to fight against her ropes.

* * *

Curly could move as quietly as the rest of them. He always knew how to move with stealth. He always had speed on his side. Brainy was still new to this, correct? Helga complained how he loved to breath down her neck. And while Brainy was able to move in some crazy locations, so was he.

Did he forget who he was dealing with? Brainy was now messing with, Thaddeus Gammelthorpe.

Brainy took his own girlfriend.

* * *

Miriam thought to head up to Helga's room to speak to her. She didn't want them using their daughter as bait so with the help of, Arnold's parents, the police agreed not to use her. Though she wasn't blind to know that they will in another way to get that hooligan.

Knocking on her daughter's door she announced herself sweetly. Receiving no answer, Miriam had to check the lock to find it opening. No children in the room, but she spotted a note on the bed. Wandering over to the bed she read the brief note before rushing towards the window.

Her car is missing.

Eyes wide, Miriam knew the children took matters into their own hands.

* * *

Brainy slapped Nadine hard across the face. He never wished to do this to her, but did she really have to say such untrue things?

Nadine gritted her teeth as she slowly turned her head to him. "I speak the truth, Brainy. She doesn't have feelings for you so give up. Why don't you just go home to your parents." She refused to back down to him.

He was unaffected by her words. "Not what she told me." Brainy grabbed her by the hair to yank at it. "So mind your tongue." Glancing up to the once doctor he nodded his approval to begin to torture his former friend.

She felt how hard he jerked her head as he released her. Nadine gritted her teeth as she heard footsteps near her to the point of her screaming out in pain. To have electrical current coursing through you like this, Nadine felt like her eyes were rolling back until she met with darkness.

The ex-doctor smiled a rotting smile down at his patient. "She passed out from the shot, Nurse. Time to enlist the agent."

XX

Curly had been exploring for some time till he thought he heard some movement ahead of him. Pausing to listen more closely he knew it sounded like footsteps followed by a thunking sound. As the footsteps departed, Curly moved forward cautiously.

He felt a clutching to his heart. It was a different fear as his throat felt tied up into knots. His feet moved forward more until he spotted someone just lying there. He immediately recognized the person making him rush forward as he checked for breathing.

"Nadine?"

Her breathing was shallow and he could see the bastards hurt her. Cursing, Curly lifted her up carefully even as he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"I'm taking you to the hospital. Stay with me." He whispered.

* * *

Fear laced through him as he dashed up to, Brainy. What will happen to them all without her? When Brainy first mentioned her they all thought he was insane, but the more and more they thought about it. The more and more they listened to her poems. To the way she spoke and the way she invited everyone into easily glancing in her direction, he knew that Brainy was right.

They all wanted to listen to her speak.

They all wanted to worship her.

They all needed the light that was inside of her.

They needed that light to bless them too.

They agreed she is a blessing, but right now the blessing is just confused by outside sources. Sources that took her away.

"Brainy I have some bad news."

Brainy had a feeling about the news before he spoke it, but he urged him to do it. "Yes?"

"Our Deity has run away. They don't know where." He took Brainy's arm. "The leech has her."

* * *

The screen door slammed closed behind the occupant. The crickets were fully out at usual this night as the occupant waited for the person to die the lights off to their vehicle. The engine died down first before the lights and soon the driver stepped out before the passenger.

"Hey Arnold." He snorted rather lazily. "What are you doing here?"

Arnold looked up to his cousin. "I wouldn't come here without any notice if it wasn't important." He felt Helga's hand in his. "An old friend-"

"Ex-friend." Helga interrupted icily.

"Ex-friend. He has been going after Helga. We need a safe place to hide till they catch him. Can we stay here?" Arnold pleaded to him.

Arnie nodded his head before he came down to them. "We should hide that car before we set you up. Come and bring it into the barn. Drive to the other side of it."

Watching him wander away, Helga stepped towards the porch. "You sure about this?"

Arnold nodded his head. Arnie stopped pursuing her himself, so that was good. Arnold knew that while Arnie seemed not all there, he was protective. "Yes. I wouldn't bring us here if I wasn't sure."

Watching him go back into her car, Helga stood there waiting for them to come back. This was far too much trouble for anyone to go through for her.

* * *

 **A/N: I am slowly working on how it all will end. Sorry about the slow update. Yay to writers block and migraines. Now on to my so-called grammar issues and so-called run on sentences... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Obviously you can still make sense of what you are reading so don't raise an issue on it Mr or Ms Guest Reviewer. Plus, I write REALLY late at night due to insomnia issues. I am still in mourning because the loved one who passed was really close to me. I did edit as best as I could and to be quite honest, I don't care if I miss anything right now. I'm freaking human. LOL!**

 **Thank you to the kind reviewers.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Let me start off this authors note by giving off a Curly brand cackle. I will try to bring him justice. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA HA HA HA HA! Eh well I tried.**

 **I have an excellent reason for that cackle and honestly the good people know why I'm doing it. To them, thank you. I have cookies waiting for you. I have arsenic waiting for the others. 3:)**

 **Now let us get on with the show.**

* * *

Curly ran his hand down one of Nadine's long tendrils as she still remained unconscious. He snuck back in last night to remain by her side so he can protect her, and even her own parents didn't raise any issue with that. Though he was almost curious about Rhonda as she stepped foot into the room carrying some craft made flowers.

"That's interesting." Curly pointed to what she had in her hands.

Rhonda handed it over to him so he can place it on the table next to her. "I knew she would appreciate it. I do have another gift for her, but that I couldn't bring into the hospital." Sitting down near to her feet, she looked at her friend. "Where are her parents?"

"They went to get coffee. Also her mom was so upset that her dad thought it would be best to give her some air." Curly leaned back to glance at her. "What did you get her?"

"Something gross." She shuddered. "It is in a lovely home though.

Curly sniffed the air as he almost laughed. "So another insect. What kind?"

She shrugged. "Well she always wanted to study a scorpion so I'm giving her a chance to."

Smiling at her, Curly reached out to squeeze her hand. "That's a good gift."

Rhonda wished he wouldn't be nice with her. "Don't do that with me. I made you go into that facility. I keep thinking about it."

"I'm forgiving you, Rhonda. I have to because I'm better now." Curly looked to Nadine. "I know it is because of Helga, Phoebe, Gerald, Ludwig, but most of all her."

Watching him brush his finger gently across Nadine's cheek, Rhonda smiled. "She's a good person to have on your side. Always has been." She noticed him getting upset again. "Nadine will get better. She's strong. The cops will catch Brainy and put him away."

A teardrop escaped his eyes. "He tortured her so badly though. Brainy is sick and all that he is doing is-" He cut himself off as he felt himself unable to form anymore words. "He could of killed her."

Moving closer to him, Rhonda hugged him. "He didn't and I'm so happy you were right there so she can get immediate help." Hearing him about to object to that, Rhonda continued. "Don't! You helped her. Nadine will be up and out of here in no time. Soon she'll even be back to catching more bugs to study." Hearing a snicker at that one, Rhonda smiled. "Exactly. Nadine is a fighter just like you."

"Thanks. I know that she'll be back in no time." Moving away from her slightly, Curly looked back at his girlfriend. "I can't wait to see her smiling face again."

* * *

Helga felt shattered when she realized that she truly did run off.

Waking up inside a strange room with Arnold beside her, Helga looked behind her as he slept peacefully still. Why is he sleeping peacefully and she is restless? Nervous. She is worried about back home.

"I'm thinking about them too."

Hearing his groggy voice, Helga turned to face him. "Guess you can hear my emotions churning."

"Comes from years of knowing you." Kissing her, Arnold opened his eyes wishing he can erase the worry from her eyes. "We have to hope that Brainy gets caught while we are gone."

"What if he goes and hurts everyone we know? Gives me a time limit till I show up." Helga scoffed at that idea. "What am I talking about? That bastard knows how to track me without even trying."

Frightening thought there. Arnold pulled her up on top of him. "Arnie knows what is happening after what I told him. He said that if the cops do come snooping here he will make sure they don't know we aren't seen."

"Is he stuffing us under a hay bale?" She wondered in some dry humor.

"You could say that. He just told me there are plenty of hiding areas here for us in case they do a search." Brushing her hair back, Arnold kissed her. "We just need to formulate a plan."

Certain about any machinery on this farm, Helga grinned. "We can dump Brainy in a chipper or something far more deadly. That sounds like a great idea."

"This isn't Fargo. We don't just dump humans into chippers. We have to figure another way." Arnold didn't need to think about that last part of that movie again where the bad guys body was being placed in the wood chipper.

"Than we place him in a hale bale thing where it ties him up for us. Than after, I can practice some archery on him." Helga needed to feel dubious. "It'll be great."

Arnold nodded his head. "I'll think about it."

* * *

Nadine did wake up and after she answered questions for the police, they were down there searching searching high and low for, Brainy. They spotted a couple of the areas where they obviously tortured, Timberly and herself. They found several drawings of Helga in various ways, but no clear writings from Brainy.

The Detective had to send an alert out to search for both, Arnold and Helga. There was already a high alert out in the area regarding, Brainy to the point that his own parents came back into town saying that they must of been incorrect about this information.

"So you honestly believe that a child that runs away from home, attacks a girls father, tortures his old friends to the point of leaving one in the hospital, and even killing one old school mate qualifies him as a good child?" The Detective questioned Brainy's parents in a sarcastic manner. "Because to me it doesn't. It qualifies him as dangerous." When he witnessed them opening up their mouths to object to his analyzes, the Detective held up his hand. "Before you tell me otherwise, I have plenty of evidence that proves me right."

To them, Helga was a bad influence on their child. The Detective honestly didn't see it that way. Helga Pataki was a bright young woman with everything ahead of her. She had only one boyfriend in her life who obviously loved her enough to run away with her to protect her. The many times he spoke to the girl, he was continuously impressed by her.

It was unfair judgement on their part.

* * *

They honestly didn't have that much time to hide, but here they were inside her vehicle. A vehicle that was already currently under a ton of hay from last night. Helga and Arnold were quiet surprised to hear, Arnie answering random questions from the sheriffs that came out.

Already having an idea that she won't be speaking for some time, Helga kept it in mind to take a piece of paper out of her glove compartment to write on. Scribbling on it she handed it to Arnold to read.

 **We are hiding in here as if we are the criminals. Criminey this blows.**

Agreeing with her silently, Arnold scribbled on it as well before handing it back to her: **I know but it won't be forever.**

She knew he was repeating this mantra inside his head before saying it to her again. Turning her head to him, Helga kissed him lightly. Scribbling on the paper once more she handed it back to him.

 **At least I'm not alone.**

Taking her hand, Arnold squeezed it. He would make sure she wouldn't be alone in this.

XX

It took some time before they found themselves free of the car and to find a new face standing in front of them. It was Arnie's girlfriend for the past two years, according to him. She was both perky and sarcastic in her behavior as she began to place the hay back on top of the car. Helga stood there staring at her as she began to sing some AC/DC songs out loud before hopping in front of her.

"Hey there. My name is Linda." She introduced herself as she threw cherry-blonde hair over her shoulder. "He told me that you and Arnold have been seeing one another for a long time now. A real long time. It is a real pleasure meeting you finally, Helga."

Helga felt weird being introduced to someone while in this situation. "Nice to meet you too."

Seeing her boyfriend speaking with his cousin, Linda pursed her lips as Arnold's confused expression kept taking hold. "Yeah well don't be surprised if they pay this farm another visit to find ya."

Nodding her head, Helga just looked between her vehicle and where Arnold was. She knew it wasn't logical to hide forever. It wasn't even logical to even hide her true self for too long, but there was something that laid down and died in her one day during this whole fiasco that had her seeking a lifeline now.

Her temple began to throb. The memories of the past and present were crashing together to the point that she saw her parents on the living room floor in pain. Pain from whatever, Brainy caused them. Why he originally focused on her to bring it to this point? Helga was obviously afraid of asking Brainy this. Will she want the answer? Or is it better just to bury it away?

* * *

"Seriously. What is your problem?" Brainy pointed his finger to both offending people with duct tape over both their mouths. "I want you both to use your heads to answer these questions. Do you really believe that, Helga is responsible for everything right now?"

The older males eyes fixed on to someone a bit more out of sight from, Brainy. This one with ragged clothing, and a long beard that had long been forgotten about. Hearing something click, his eyes went sharply towards a switchblade than back to his son's face. Was this really his son anymore?

"Durs sha epprov dis?"

Brainy saw her spit more teeth down to the ground. Unconcerned about her spreading her own D.N.A onto the scene didn't bother him at all. "The Deity is very powerful. Once she is here, you will see."

She smiled an almost toothless grin.

Hearing a very broken sob, Brainy crouched down to eye his mother. "Now you see the errors of your ways?" His mother nodded her head as her sobs became harder to almost control.

* * *

"You feel it in the air too?" Nadine asked Curly.

"That complete shift." Curly nodded his head. "I have and we know what's coming."

She almost laughed at how absurd they might of sounded to others, but she knew they were the ones that spoke to creatures. Him with his zoo animals. Her and her insects. They communicated with nature, so she saw, and felt the shift from even down there.

"I'll stay out of the way since I don't have all my strength still." She assured him steadily.

Loving that assurance, Curly bent over to kiss her sweetly on the lips. "I know that. At least I know you will be safe here."

* * *

Helga kissed Arnold for the better part of the night till he drifted off to sleep. Pretending to sleep at first, Helga opened her eyes to take in his features before silently moving out of bed. She continued studying him as she picked up her pack, and moved out the door softly.

Down the hallway, past the snoring Arnie, Helga continued to pad her way out of the house where she slipped her shoes on, and ran to the barn. She had to do things quickly or else she'd change her mind.

XX

"Hey Arnold."

"Mmf." Feeling a poke, Arnold swiped the offending hand away from him.

Grabbing a tuft of his hair, Arnie pulled at it. "Hey Arnold."

Getting up, Arnold cried out to Arnie for waking him up so rudely. "What the heck, Arnie?"

Not even phased by the glare on his cousins face, Arnie snorted his nose. "Helga left."

Getting a note handed to him, Arnold read it quickly before getting up to put his pants on. "No, no, no, no! What about her car?"

"It's gone too. I checked before coming in here."

Rushing outside, Arnold went to check himself before rushing back to the house. "Can I have the keys to the truck?" Being tossed those he ran to the truck to go and start it up, but nothing was happening. So opening up the hood he went to go and check inside. "She took the distributor cap out of your truck."

Snorting, Arnie went to check for himself. "That's pretty clever of her and that was new."

She went back to Hillwood to try to stop Brainy herself. Arnold had to stop her or at least help her out.

* * *

 **A/N 2: And the journey is about to end between Helga and Brainy.**


	20. Chapter 20

In the early morning light, Wendell wandered out onto the Art museums deck as his parents finished up speaking to the director. It was still such a surreal moment to know that his work will be displayed here at such an early age. It will be another thing when he brings, Rhonda here to show him the surprise. He smiled as he leaned against the railing thinking of her. She was much more than anyone else could perceive of her. Even more than himself. She was his breath of fresh air.

His muse now.

So many of his paint dedications now were to her. She breathed fresh new life for him and he hoped he did for her. He wanted to make her happy.

"Wendell? Everything is all set." His mother's voice rang out from the doorway. "Sorry to drag you out so early."

His smile didn't fade. "That's fine mom. You and dad have work."

He turned towards her to go and head in, but was called back when he heard a distant rumbling of an engine. Bringing his attention towards the road he spotted a lone vehicle coming into the city. A vehicle that was so distinct that it didn't take much to guess the owner of it.

XXX

Nadine was having too many disturbing dreams of her time down there. Her fingers twitched against the white sheets of the hospital linen. Her heartbeat jumped a bit even as a familiar face that was once friendly became the enemy.

Her head twitched as a slap hit her both in the dream and in reality. She spit at him in the dream. She still fought and still he was horrible. Her heart jumped more at what was happening to the point a nurse came in to check on her. Nadine fought against Brainy in her dream, and he brought in more to come at her.

A deep rumbling engine passed by the hospital bringing the patient to a calming rest once more. The nurse straightened up as she tried to discern what had happened. All she knew was it was maybe the shocking events that happened to the poor teenager that brought on the unrest.

XXX

Phoebe sat straight up in her bed. Getting up she ran to her window only to see nothing around but the usual stuff. Heading back to her bed, she smiled knowing she felt it inside of her.

"I knew you wouldn't stay away forever, Helga."

Some would think it strange to be so connected to someone, but Phoebe often felt it with her. She felt that Brainy will soon have a fight on his hands.

XXX

Parking her car behind where Urban Tots was, Helga left a note on the vehicle before heading to her first area to change into something necessary for her plan. Slipping inside of the place had her feel some nostalgia as she went to the bathroom to change into the dress. Removing the curlers she haphazardly placed into her hair some time back, Helga was pleased with the wave in her hair.

Staring into the mirror, Helga took a deep breath in and out. "All right, Helga old girl, this is for you, and for everyone you care about."

Placing her shoulders back, she left the building, and wandered towards the nearest manhole cover knowing she had to go down there. She sneered in disgust at the thought of this, but knew it had to be done.

As she was about to do this, Helga saw some homeless person partially bowing his head to her, and approaching her slowly. Hearing that Brainy was using some of the homeless as his own minions, Helga had to take a chance. So summoning some power in her voice, Helga approached him.

"Kind sir! It is I, your Deity, Helga, please act as my guide and guard as you lead me to my temple. It is time that I return to you." Helga felt so corny inside, but seeing the reaction of the male in front of her, Helga's act paid off as he led her away. She just hoped he didn't lead her to her doom.

She did find herself eventually led towards an abandoned section where there were cones still from construction, but were long abandoned. It was obviously for some future sight of a subway or just one that fell under some disuse. Either way, no one had been here judging by some cobwebs that took up residence where the stairs were now blocked off.

"Not long now, our Deity." The man told her softly.

She heard the respect in his voice as she bowed her head back to him. She needed to keep her poker face intact as they continued. It was something she was good at. Something she had to do a long time ago. Though it was nearly impossible when she saw the man get down on both his knees to bow down to her fully.

"Your temple awaits inside."

Helga was sickened at how, Brainy managed to get him to behave like this. Still she believed that once a person is at the end of their rope, they will do anything if they believe in something. "Thank you, my loyal guide." Her stomach gripped at that as she stepped past to see a make shift temple laid out. This will be her stage.

XXX

Brainy held the knife close to his father's temple as anger continued to lace through him. His Deity was snatched away by _HIM_! His so-called parents tried to take him away from her believing she was evil. Lila tried to kill his Deity, but he turned the tables on her.

The sweat poured off his forehead as he felt the sharp point of the blade on him. He muffled a few words through the duct tape hoping his son could hear him. Smelling something of copper in the air, and the stab of that knife, he knew his son got him. Not deeply, but it was enough to make his wife cry out as best as she could.

Someone came into the room to whisper into Brainy's ear. Stepping back, Brainy smiled as a breathy chuckle came out. "Our Deity awaits us at the temple. Come."

His father watched as his son and his minions left the room in almost a trance. Tipping his chair over as soon as they were gone, he tried to get the ropes off of him.

XXX

Sitting on a chair that was supposed to be a throne, Helga had her eyes closed in a serene nature as random people came in to chant to her. She mostly didn't pay them any mind for the most part seeing that the big game hadn't arrived yet.

"My beautiful Deity." Her eyes opened up slowly to gaze upon him almost making his breath hitch. "You have finally arrived."

It took every bit of muscle control not to get up and murder, Brainy. It took every ounce of her to school herself even more heavily in her emotions. "Yes I have." She knew he would try to approach her to sit next to her. After all, there was another seat there.

Taking a step forward, Brainy had almost a difficult time catching his breath. She came to him of her own free will. The white dress was far more perfect than the choice he picked for her. She was nothing but perfection, and he had everyone around them already chanting it.

Holding up her hand gracefully, Helga halted his steps. "Stop right there." Her voice soft, but still firm.

He was confused. "Why? I am to take my place next to you."

Standing up, Helga clasped her hands in front of her. "You are not as directed by God himself." She watched as the others put their heads up at those words.

Brainy felt dumbstruck at her words. "What are you getting at? I am your chosen one."

"My chosen one is the one I met in pre-school. The very first boy that I met. The one who shielded me." Helga tilted her head some as she kept her tone calm. "God told me that we are to be married. That our children." Extending her arms out towards the congregation now, Helga indicated all of them. "They will all be reborn. It is the way."

"And what of me?"

Her attention went back to him as she softened her gaze more. "You have been my servant."

Servant? The word had made the world fall away from him as he looked upon her. "I am not _JUST_ your servant. I am your destined one."

A very gentile smile showed on her face. "Dear, Brainy. You are my servant. A servant that took upon himself to become my protector. A protector that turned into something more that had even myself turned away from you."

Brainy felt glares from the others. They were all on him. "But my Deity, the Devil tried to kill you. The one who raised you tried to refuse us."

"He had every right to refuse." Helga interrupted him quickly. She scanned everyone in the room. "That there in that form was God. He was in that form to protect himself from sinners, but he was still attacked." She heard a collected gasp from the group. "He refused the marriage due to the fact that I am destined to the one called, Arnold." She needs to speak to Dr Bliss about getting her brain screwed back in after talking like this.

Hand to his chest, Brainy placed one foot on the step. "I'M THE ONE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WITH! NOT HIM!"

Not phased in the least by his yelling, Helga addressed the congregation once more. "My destined one, Arnold, is a kind soul. He is a loving soul. A selfless soul. He is the kind who doesn't think of himself. He is the kind who doesn't harm others." Placing her hand to her heart she emphasized it with a smile in hopes this will be all through. "I have been pregnant from his seed for a long time now."

Brainy clenched his fists as he eyed her angrily. "So you are now tainted."

"I'm in love with him." Stepping closer to Brainy, Helga slapped him across the face. "Don't you dare imply that to me. There are plenty of ways to be pregnant." Both hands went to her heart as she stepped back. "When I met him, I finally knew good. I finally knew the meaning of life. He gave me a heart. This is what I meant by a seed."

"You shouldn't of doubted our Deity, Brainy. It is wrong to."

Brainy bowed his head in shame at those words. He felt so much of himself breaking apart. She still wanted Arnold and not him. "I misunderstood, Stan. I didn't mean to offend."

Helga stood there listening to their murmurs soon turn into what felt like rabid dogs barking at one another. She could of slipped out of there easily without much notice, but it wouldn't of solved much so she stood there listening to the point of spotting something that took in her interest.

"Enough!" Her voice rang out. "I will not have my future wedding interrupted by such contempt between my children."

"We are sorry, our Deity." The one named, Stan bowed to her. "Please forgive us."

Spotting how many more began to follow suit, except Brainy, Helga brought her hand to her heart. "I forgive you all. It is normal for us all to forget at times. This includes, Brainy." It nearly made it too comical to see, Stan grab Brainy to force him down on his knees too. "You are all special."

"And you, Helga, are the most special one of them all."

Eyes wide, Brainy stood up to look at, Arnold. How dare him show up now. How dare him to look all glowing skin bright here. Turning his head to Helga, Brainy felt himself lose himself to an unbridled anger. "No." He whispered.

"Everyone. This is the one that God told me that I am destined to. He is the one I am to be joined to today." Helga extended her hand out towards Arnold.

Ever since she left the farm, Arnold was happy that Arnie was the saner one in locating the distributor cap to place in the truck quickly. Arnold left the farm soon as the part was in, and arrived here. It didn't take long to know that the cops got word about, Helga being in town. When they located her car, followed by the lovely ping from her cell phone she turned on since she turned it on the moment she got down here, Arnold convinced the Detective in letting him tag along.

Of course the police had to listen to the whole of the conversation since she had her phone on. The very strange dialogue she was having to the point that he had to be involved now. It was all to lead, Brainy into a confession now. At first Arnold thought it wouldn't work, but seeing the hateful glare he was now sending to the couple, Arnold now thought it might work.

"I am pleased to finally have this opportunity to meet you all." Arnold told them as addressed the congregation. "I am sorry that I took her away, but we had many preparations that needed to be done for us all."

"What type of preparations?" Someone questioned.

Arnold turned his head to Helga. "First the joining of your Deity and I." Out of the corner of his eye he saw, Brainy clenching his fists more. "Than God promised that above will be rained with many good things to his loyal followers." His other hand extended out once more towards them. "Most specifically to all of you."

Hearing the chants, Helga spotted someone in a crazy outfit coming in. This had her smiling towards the new person. "You are here finally to marry us."

Brainy turned his head to watch a tall male with a good build, and robe on come towards them. His eyes scanned everyone as he watched the new person kiss, Helga's hand as he confirm what she said. As his world spun out of control, Brainy swore he spotted a bloody Lila off in the corner waving at him with a sickening smile before she faded away. This wasn't right.

This just wasn't right.

"Gather around, my children." The new person instructed as his arms went out wide.

Brainy's knees were becoming shaky.

"As God has deemed and desired. Your Deity and this Vessel." Helga and Arnold almost laughed at that nickname for Arnold. In fact, the undercover Detective almost lost it by going this far. "Shall be joined now."

Heart beating rapidly, Brainy wasn't even aware he took a step forward.

"After this joining of these twos, they will go forth and consummate their union. They will give us plenty of offspring. Offspring that will give this world luck, for years to come." The Detective continued in a booming voice. "Please the answer the questions that I give, Deity." He instructed. "Will you give onto this marriage and flourish? After thy first kiss, will you give birth to your first baby?"

She schooled herself as she answered him. "I shall do so for many years to come. Also with my first kiss, I will gladly give birth." Helga smiled as she turned towards, Arnold.

"Than in this, Vessel kiss the Deity." The Detective instructed.

Leaning closer to kiss Helga, Arnold listened to someone stomp his foot on the ground. Deciding not to let it stop him, Arnold pressed his lips against hers as a uproarious sound took hold in the small hall. Soon Helga was clutching at him complaining of her stomach as she went to sit down on her make-shift throne.

"Our baby." She whispered. "Our rebirth is near children."

Arnold came over to her to take her hand. "My beautiful wife." He announced happily.

The room continued to spin as everyone continued to chant and bow down to her. Brainy crawled up towards them until he was standing up. "No." He whispered as he watched with blurry eyes. There was his Deity about to give birth to _HIS_ baby. "No." He repeated as he neared clutching something in his pocket. "NO!"

Helga calmly turned her head to him in spite of the labor pains she was supposed to be giving off. "My child. Is something the problem?"

Arnold stood up. "Please tell me so I may help you." He said addressing him as well.

Tears flowed down his face as anger continued to rip through him. Brainy squared his shoulders as he kept his attention to, Helga. "I didn't do everything just so you can marry him. Just so you can have his children. You belong to me. I didn't kill that devil after she stabbed you."

"Devil? Who was the devil, Brainy?" Helga wondered as she looked upon him innocently.

"Lila! I didn't kill her just to waste my time seeing you marry him! I am your destined one."

She ignored that while the undercover Detective obviously needed a bit more. Arnold couldn't do this part seeing that, Brainy would just try to stab him or just yell bloody murder. She had to coax him into talking. "But I am still confused on why Timberly, Rhonda, Nadine, and so many other innocents were tortured. Why, Brainy?" She saw how his eyes softened towards her. "Please and perhaps it'll convince God to change his mind." She pretended to have another labor pain.

Brainy smiled at the newfound hope. "Do you mean I may have my chance with you?"

Arnold decided to play his part once more. "My love, what of me?"

Groaning out in pain, Helga took his hand to kiss it. "This will still be our child, but please understand that after this question, Brainy will prove his true worth to me." She looked to Brainy as if in love with him. "And the world. Isn't this what we need?"

Arnold kissed her temple. "We do." He looked to, Brainy. "You may be the better enlightened being for her."

It was such a strong pause from, Brainy. Will he confess to it for his possible chance? Will he walk away? Helga was beckoning him with her hand, and Brainy dropped the knife he was holding to the ground. He put his head down as if ashamed, but he truly wasn't.

"You were so lost that I thought the only way to bring you back was to do that. I know it was horrible, but it did bring you back. That is why I tortured them all." Brainy admitted. "It was in the name of love for our Deity."

Stepping forward chanting, the Detective pretended he was going to perform a second ceremony until he grabbed both of, Brainy's arms to bring it behind his back. "Brian "Brainy" Bartlett, you are under arrest for the murder of Lila Sawyer. The abuse of of-"

Brainy's eyes focused on Helga even as he saw several cops flood the room. He watched as she picked up a phone from the back of the chair itself. He watched as she kissed Arnold. He just watched her. It was his specialty no matter what.

"Do you understand the rights that I have given you?" The Detective wondered.

Brainy was lost in his world. "I'll see you again, my Deity." He was jerked away quickly. "I will. No place will hold me away from you. NO place!"

Turning to Arnold, Helga hugged him. "I'm so sorry I ran off. I just wanted to stop this and I was afraid you would stop me."

"I was upset, but I knew how you are." Kissing her again, Arnold couldn't help but stare at her. "I'm just so happy that you are alright. I just can't believe that this plan of yours worked."

Seeing the police coral the homeless, Helga felt sorry for them. "They were all under the impression of an illusion. They lost hope and wanted something to believe in." She watched as one tried to implore to her. "Brainy got them to believe in me."

He knew what was going through her mind as she scanned each homeless person. Though some broke the law for Brainy, Arnold just felt awful too. "Detective Benson?"

Coming up to the teenagers, the Detective considered them. "This had to be the most interesting undercover thing I have ever done." Turning to Helga he couldn't believe her. "That was some impressive work. Still it was dangerous, but impressive."

She smiled. "I was just acting for their delusions, that's all."

Spoken like a true psychiatrist in training, the Detective almost chuckled. "What did you both need?"

"What will happen to the rest of them? They already lost so much and they just did what they did thinking it would impress me." Helga questioned as they were now the only ones in there.

Detective Benson frowned. "We still need to question them. We also need to process them." The kids were obviously unhappy with that info. "Look I know it isn't ideal, but some did commit some crimes. They have to be punished."

"Yeah we know, but Brainy is the one who got them to do it all." Arnold saw how some appeared so scared now as they were being ushered out. "He was feeding them hope. When you are at the bottom, what else happens to the human mind?" He theorized.

Helga could see how the Detective considered both of their words as his sigh became more heavier. The way he rubbed his temples to the way his forehead creased, had him in deep thought.

"Look, I'll see what I can do for them with the lawyer, but as for Mr Bartlett, he is another story." Benson informed them firmly as he decided to escort them out of there.

Helga and Arnold believed that was better than nothing. They just hoped that Brainy will be sent to a place far away from them. They know they had no interest in seeing him ever again.

* * *

 **A/N: I thought I would end it without bloodshed. Since Brainy and his minions are under the delusion that Helga is some kind of Deity, Helga just decided to use it against them. As for people wondering about who attacked Sid and Arnold, no it wasn't Brainy's helpers. That was just another group of people. Brainy's minions were always around him and he got them to help him through manipulation. People at the end of their ropes wanting to believe anything so they did believe that Helga was some sort of goddess.**

 **I will have an epilogue written out eventually. :)**

 **Thanks for the kind reviews.**


	21. Epilogue

**A/N: First of all I am deeply sorry that this epilogue is so delayed. I was suffering from brain freeze. I also have a baby bird that I currently own and he takes up a lot of my free time to the point that I get extremely tired.**

 **Anything in italics is Helga's thoughts and/or voiceover. I tried not to leave anyone out. If I did than I am sorry.**

* * *

A lone woman entered upon the stage after she was announced to the students. She was a guest lecturer today. At twenty-eight years old, Helga G. Pataki is a success in her field of Psychology. She had already helped children while she was young, and still continued to do so when it was called upon. She did the same with teenagers and also with adults now. Also she helped with some criminal cases.

Today she will speak about cases from the past and perhaps enlighten some students of updates regarding them.

"Good Afternoon everyone. My name is, Dr Helga Pataki. I'm glad you are all here to attend this lecture. I will try not to bore you to death. If I do bore you sleep, kindly don't snore too loudly please. You never know if your neighbor next to you is a hard core nerd jonesing for a boring lecture." Winking at the crowd, Helga gathered some snickers from that joke. "All right now, time to bore you all."

"Today I feel like discussing things that begun when I was sixteen. Why this age? It is because it left me with some questions that even I can't answer due to me being too close to the case at hand. This will happen to some of you when it is personal to you, but I will say that there are some factors of this case that have been answered." Helga offered a slight smile. "I will offer you an example or two."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhonda was wandering around the center happily helping others. Mostly it was the homeless. Even after everything that happened with, Brainy she had to feel bad for the ones he manipulated. She found out very quickly from her volunteer work how simple it was to lose all hope once your previous life had been yanked from you.

So as she volunteered, she decided to learn a bit more about other things. With Nadine, she already had a friend who always was selfless. This was the same as Arnold. So with those building blocks already and additional help from Helga, Rhonda wanted to do more for them.

So she spoke to her parents about helping her out and with that Dr Bliss got a team to come in for volunteer work. A team that included Helga for some younger homeless people, to help them readjust to things out there. Also people to come in to help educate them further and place them in jobs.

Now older and with a degree as a business woman and a teacher, Rhonda had everyone move into a different building which was bigger. So far she had a pretty high success rate.

Wandering into a room where her husband taught others about painting, Rhonda smiled at Wendell as he patiently spoke to them about always expressing themselves.

 _"Rhonda and her husband do charity events to continue their efforts in helping others out." Helga informed the audience. "While they do realize that they can't help the entire population out, they still aim for what they can. They also hope that these educational programs help increase. Also to let you know, the building that they moved into has another building to it. So there are ones that live there."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _"Now this next person is someone that I will not say his name. I won't due to it being personal. Also he is allowing me to speak about this in hopes that it could possibly help others. Something that I find to be very brave of him to do." Helga said as she introduced the subject of Sid._

 _"One night he was attacked and raped by a few men." Her mind still shouldn't still be so shaken up by these details, but she was. Their friend could of been killed that night. "He went through the motions as many victims do. You know with the denial. The anger. The blame. The feeling of worthlessness. Feeling unclean. Name it and you got it. Our friend was damaged mentally and physically."_

Sid did all his therapy with each doctor and after a year, he slowly made his way back home. Mostly by mind. While he was at home physically. He wasn't at home mentally. Sid wanted to be elsewhere far away. He wanted to be away from that city. That alley. The still possibility that someone might know what happened to him. He just wanted to get away.

Still he couldn't.

So each day he continued to speak to his most closest friends. The ones that visited him often at that place. He spoke to, Dr Bliss. Eventually he began to make his way back into school. Slowly make his way back his way into his life, but not truly. He didn't feel comfortable enough to want to date anyone still. He felt too worthless to.

"You have to know you aren't worthless, Sid." Arnold told him one day after school. "You never were."

Sid continued to glance at his hands. "I just feel like I am." His voice was too soft for him to hear himself even.

"Than don't rush it. It will come eventually." Chimed in Helga. "Why not concentrate on some things that might be of interest to you. Rhonda has grown considerably once she started helping others. Look how good, Football Head feels each time he helps someone."

Sid fell silent as he thought of their words. "Yeah you might be right."

"Just don't push yourself. Take it one step at a time." Arnold added in.

 _"We honestly doubt that it was completely our words to him. We do because he can have good instincts in him." Helga smirked happily at the thought. "What he decided to do was become a Physical Therapist at the same place that helped him out for those many months. He tells us that he is very happy in it." Seeing someone raise their hand up and ask a question, Helga almost sighed. "He began dating someone that works there. Now let us continue."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Brushing some of her fringe away from her face, Helga sighed. She didn't wish to do so, but she did knowing that the subject of, Brainy still was spoken about. Kids made limericks about him as if he was Freddy Kruger. There were even games made up in school yards. Most kids didn't know about it at such a young age, but once you get older there are many games you figure out that are based on something real. Something far more darker.

"Obsession can come in many forms." She began. "Some can actually be very innocent. Some aren't. It all depends. There are some that start off innocently, and end up in a dark place." She wasn't gonna speak about Lila out of respect of her father. She was one of the lost ones. "I unfortunately had to deal with this first hand."

"In the beginning it was all simply innocent things. Him showing up here and there. I'd hit him for invading my privacy, and I'd simply forget it for another day. Brainy was what you called a strange, but harmless person back then. He was our friend. He did things with us." Helga paused as she fought the urge to scratch at her own skin. "In all honesty, I and some people that I know, don't know when he went over the edge." Seeing a hand rise up, Helga let the girl speak.

The girl in blue almost reminded her of Phoebe. Dark hair, glasses, studious looking. Even the voice almost had the same quality as hers. "Is it true that he referred to you as some type of goddess?"

Helga almost cringed visibly, but digressed. "Very true. I do know that at first he supported my relationship with my boyfriend, but after it changed. I don't know when, but it did."

 _There in the back of her mind as she continued to speak to everyone, thoughts of some of her other friends drifted past. Stinky and Gloria were only separated for a bit just so she can attend an out of state college. When she returned they decided to get married. Stinky was managing a grocery store. Gloria was helping a wedding planner._

 _Wandering out of her department on a break, Nadine smiled with some delight at the insects that came in from the Amazon. As she thought of her research she picked up her phone to smile at a picture of, Curly at the bow of the research ship he was on before dialing him back to talk to him. Due to him constantly being out to sea, their relationship just ended up being part time lovers. They both were in love with their jobs, which made up for one part of a relationship. The other part was when they could be together. She knew she would be catching him soon anyhow._

 _With Phoebe, she became a Chemist. Something she loved so much that she would get far into it when she was discussing formulas with Helga, Arnold, and Gerald when they had dinner together. It was so much so that she had destroyed about twenty of her own tablecloths by trying to explain things in sharpie._

 _As for Gerald, he decided to just work for a radio station. Smooth talking voice that he loved to brag about with the knowledge of music, and what not. Asking Phoebe to marry him finally she accepted. At that wedding, there was some money passed between friends saying what age that will be._

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

As for Brainy, he was in a facility far from Helga. He was placed there for the criminally insane. Convicted of many crimes that included the murder of, Lila Sawyer. There were more included. More that were found out later on when he truly snapped in custody. They were more of experimentations than anything else. That was according to him.

He begged constantly to be reunited with his Deity, but no one would grant him that request. They knew what it could do to him. What it would do to her if that were to happen. So he would end up in his room drawing more pictures of her, and pray to her. He'd write to her, but those letters were never sent. They were withheld as evidence.

"One day we'll be together again." He pressed his body against his wall. The thoughts danced in his head till he wailed almost like a banshee.

It almost was a sickening displaying of the macabre even as he went towards his door to whisper to someone to join him. He needed not to be alone anymore. He wanted out of there, but the facility was heavily guarded. Still, he wouldn't give up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After her part of was done, Helga departed the auditorium. She walked onto the campus to see her husband standing there happily waiting for her. Her darling Football Head was on time as usual.

He graduated a year earlier from high school. His career was not much of a surprise to her given the fact that he had years to perfect it. He decided to become a child psychologist. So she mostly dealt with adults and he mostly dealt with kids.

Going into his arms, Helga was greeted by almost a hearty kiss. "Did you have fun with our very own Father Ludwig, this morning?"

Smirking, Arnold moved around so they begin walking. "Yes and the kids that I council actually enjoyed it. I think they enjoyed listening to Wolfgang and him getting into it when, Wolfgang told him how wrong he is about shooting hoops."

Laughing at the two still almost rival guys, Helga was tempted into pinching Arnold's butt. Wolfgang was almost unwilling to become a coach to kids saying he couldn't in a wheelchair, but seeing that he still had some moves while partially paralyzed, Wolfgang decided to give it a try. So on the weekends he volunteered some of his time to help the kids at church, while working at PS118 on the weekdays.

"They never change." Helga shook her head.

"No they never do." As they continued walking, Arnold looked at her. "So how was the doctors this morning?"

Helga was silent as they continued to walk. She than sighed. "Well I'm about five weeks along, Football Head." Feeling him stop, she turned to gage his face. "What?"

"We're going to be parents?" Arnold asked in disbelief. His hand shook hoping she wasn't joking with him. If she was, he would be holding a grudge for the rest of the day.

Nodding her head, Helga kissed him on the lips. "We are going to be parents." Feeling herself being lifted up, Helga seriously hated this, but allowed him to get carried away. "Hey come on. Don't make me barf on you."

"It'll give me practice when our baby does it." Grinning, Arnold kissed her passionately. "Let's go celebrate right now."

"Sure." Taking his hand once more, Helga walked hand in hand to their car.

~The End~

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 **A/N 2: Thanks for all the kind reviews. I appreciate all of them. :)**


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